Beyond Power (Code Geass)
by qldturms
Summary: Geass. A blade and shield, forged from one's greatest fears and desires. In a war-torn world of fallen royalty, world-wide imperialism, and knightmare warfare, can this power lead Lelouch vi Britannia to victory... Or insanity?
1. 1 - Awaken

_Here is the first chapter of my attempt at a Code Geass fanfic. Please bear in mind that the first couple of chapters will be near copies of the actual show, with only slight modifications to the plot occurring at first. There are also some minor changes to the settings, but nothing incredibly big. Please write a review with any comments or concerns. Thanks, and enjoy._

1 - Awaken

" _He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command." -_ Niccolo Machiavelli

 _Ascension Throne Britannia (A.T.B.) 2010_

The palatial iron doors swung open with a resounding bang. As the youthful boy strode into the vast hall, the royal crier identified the child to the gathered nobles. "Announcing Prince Lelouch vi Britannia, seventeenth heir to the Royal Britannian Imperial Throne!"

As he walked down the regal red carpet, the ten year-old heard whispers from the various aristocrats that stood scattered about the room. His ears picked out various rumors and hints of the events that had brought him to where he was. In spite of the pestilential background noise, he kept his eyes straight forwards. He wasn't there to discuss politics with some pompous nobles, but to attend to business.

"Hail Your Majesty!" said the boy, his youthful voice making the sophisticated vocabulary sound odd. "My mother, the empress, is dead!"

"Old news. What of it?" The crowned sovereign of the Holy Britannian Empire responded boredly.

The boy stared in disbelief. "What of it?!"

The emperor glared. "You sought audience with the Emperor of Britannia simply to inform me of _that_?" He then turned to his appointment manager standing off to the side. "Send the next one in. I have no time for these childish games!"

The boy abandoned his stoic attitude. "Father!" he yelled as he ran up half of the steps that led to the throne.

Two imperial bodyguards rushed to intercept the youth, but the enthroned monarch raised his hand to wave them off.

The soldiers stopped immediately. "Yes, Your Majesty!"

The boy cried out in anguish. "Why didn't you keep Mother out of harm's way?! You're the emperor! The greatest man in this nation, if not the world! You should have protected her, and now you don't even visit Nunnally!"

"I have no use for that weakling!"

The prince blanched. "That... Weakling?"

"That is what it means to be royalty!"

The boy, Lelouch, shook with scarcely contained rage. "... Then I don't want to be your heir... I give up my claim to the throne!"

Gasps and murmurs echoed throughout the chamber. Surely the prince didn't just renounce his inheritance to the most important position in the world?

There was a tentative atmosphere as the potentate coldly regarded the boy before him. After fifteen seconds, he scoffed. "You think that this is a matter open for contention? You believe could give up your birthright that easily?" He chuckled haughtily. "It isn't my fault that your mother is dead, and your sister is crippled! They were _weak!_ And yet you think that by trying to revoke your very bloodline, by defying the stamp on your back, you would be achieving something?"

He rose, a rare act for the absolute monarch. "I shall tell you now." His booming voice echoed throughout the imperial court. "You are and always will be Lelouch vi Britannia, and I will not allow you to abandon your princehood like some spoiled child! You can run as far as you like, but you will never be free of the royal blood of the empire pumping through your veins! There will come the day when you will face this fact, this absolute truth, but for now, leave my sight!"

* * *

 _A.T.B. 2017_

Lelouch Lamperouge stared out the open window into the blue firmament. His mind drifted aimlessly as class dragged onwards for all of eternity and then some. The teacher's lecture had slowly faded until it was just another muffled part of the din that went on around him. Ideally, he would have remained in such a state until the end of class, but he was dragged (kicking and screaming) back to reality by a sharp poke at his back. His body jerked upright from his slouched position. "Hm?"

A hushed voice hissed at him. "Lulu! Pay attention!"

He sighed. Of course. It was Shirley. "Why should I? It's all pointless information. There's nothing to gain from it."

Shirley scowled at him. "Of course this is import-!"

"Lelouch! Shirley! Save it for after class!" Their teacher frowned.

"Yes, sir." They spoke in unison.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, lunch session began. Shirley packed her things quickly, but Lelouch had left as soon as the bell tone played over the speakers. After searching for him in the spots he frequented throughout the school, she asked around and was told that he was last seen leaving the school with Rivalz. Defeated, she walked back to her friends.

Milly Ashford and Nina Einstein were already seated at their usual mealtime spot. Shirley sighed as she sat down. "What took you so long?" Milly asked. "Lunch started ten minutes ago!"

Shirley stuttered ever so slightly in her improvised lie. "W-Well, I just was just talking with my teacher!"

Milly smirked. " _She honestly thinks that I would believe that?_ " She went back to eating her lunch. " _Whatever. I suppose I could give her the benefit of the doubt."_

After a few minutes of quiet eating, Milly asked "Where's Lelouch?"

Shirley frowned. "He went somewhere with Rivalz."

Milly narrowed her eyes. "What? Maybe it's poker this time?"

Shirley quickly became agitated. "They seem to forget that they're on the Student Council! They're off gambling for money!" She brandished a fork-skewered tomato. "Lulu may be smart, yet he wastes his brain on stupid things! If only he applied himself in school! He'd get high grades!" She bit down on the tomato, a pout dominating her face.

Milly's eyes taunting her orange-haired friend. "Oh, I wish my darling Lulu would be a serious young man!" She laughed. "How adorable is that!"

Shirley blushed deeply and stared at the ground. "Please, Madame President!"

* * *

Lelouch stood from his seat. The nobleman sitting across from him sat agape, staring twitchily at the chessboard between them. The teenager's pawn, knight, and king held his opponent's king in checkmate, securing his victory and 5000 pounds sterling.

"I love playing against the nobility!" Rivalz remarked as they walked. "They always pay out of pride! By the way, eight minutes, thirty two seconds is a new record!"

Lelouch responded boredly "He also didn't have much time to move either. And as opponents go, the nobles are tepid. They're just overprivileged parasites, that's all."

"Well then, why don't you challenge one of the Elevens?" Rivalz said as he ran ahead and spun around. "They're nothing like us Britannians!" He opened his mouth to say more, but was distracted by the loud talking going on as they exited the building.

The two friends surveyed the crowds of people talking darkly to one another. The atmosphere was a mixture of sadness, annoyance and fear, but was mostly comprised of anger. Shouts could be heard from the more vocal Britannians as they made their opinions heard.

"What are they trying to prove by killing all of those innocent people?!"

"Those Elevens terrify me."

"What's wrong with them?"

Lelouch scowled. It irritated him to no end that these warmongering imperialists could be so defensive when their crimes vastly outweighed those of the Japanese.

From a large screen on a neighboring skyscraper bearing the Seal of Britannia, a cool female voice spoke over the din. "We apologize for the delay. Now, His Royal Highness Prince Clovis, third prince of Britannia, will address the nation."

The imperial sigil transitioned into a live feed of a handsome and solemn blond man wearing extravagant clothing. Lelouch felt a mixture of nostalgia and annoyance upon seeing the prince. They had a pleasant relationship when Lelouch and Nunnally were still in Britannia, and the chess matches that Clovis instigated so often were, in all honesty, quite enjoyable. However, the raven-haired boy had witnessed Clovis' cruel actions as the Viceroy of Area 11, and knew that there were countless nameless people who had been slaughtered by his savage decrees.

"To all my imperial subjects!" The man orated, passion palpable in every syllable. "Including, of course, the many cooperative Elevens who choose to serve the empire of Britannia!"

Lelouch tuned out the majority of his half-brother's speech. He knew from firsthand experience that Clovis la Britannia was an outstanding actor and could lie through his teeth flawlessly. He was almost certain that the aim of the prince was to create a fervent speech that would stir the blood of the Britannian masses into a weapon that could further secure his position as Viceroy of the prosperous Area 11.

Lelouch and Rivalz were walking up to the motorbike when the female voice returned. "A moment of silence, please."

Lelouch ignored the appeal as he went about printing the ticket. Rivalz asked in an expectant tone "Well? Aren't you going to join in?"

His friend looked back at him, casually smiling. "Aren't you?"

Rivalz looked down sheepishly. "Eh... It's... Kinda embarrassing."

"And I agree with you. Besides..." Lelouch grabbed the ticket as it was dispensed. "Spilling tears over those people won't bring them back to life now, will it?"

Rivalz snapped on his goggles and smiled at his friend. "Dang! That's dark, buddy!"

Lelouch turned to look at the huge screen behind him where his half-brother solemnly stood. "It's all about self-satisfaction. Doesn't matter how hard you try. You can't do it. There's no way you can change the world."

* * *

For some time, the two sat in silence while Rivalz navigated through the traffic of the always-busy city streets. By the time they reached the open road, Rivalz voiced a question that had been bugging him. " _I'm not the best in chess,_ " he thought " _but it still doesn't make any sense!_ "

"That first move you made..."

"Hm?"

"Why'd you start with the king?"

After a lapse of silence, Lelouch responded calmly. "If the king doesn't lead, then how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

Rivalz shot a sidelong glance at his friend. "... What's with that?"

"What's with what?"

"Do you fantasize about running a major corporation?" Try as he might, Rivalz couldn't help but imagine Lelouch to have such a job. It was difficult for anyone who personally knew the raven-haired boy to think that he could one day end up working _under_ someone else. Despite always being laid-back, Lelouch always carried a certain air of authority, as though he possessed some hidden trump card.

"No way! Ambitions like that will ruin your health."

A loud honking from right behind them broke his concentration. Turning, he only had time to register that there was a big green truck barreling towards them before Rivalz screamed "Ah! We're going to die!" and drastically sped up.

Lelouch, to put it lightly, was not a remarkably athletic person. Though his brain may have functioned on a level attainable only to philosophers and military strategists, his speed was mediocre, his strength was lacking, and his stamina was sub-par. Needless to say, when situations requiring physical exertion suddenly appeared unannounced, Lelouch lost all functionality. This is why time seemed to jump for him from one moment staring at an rapidly approaching truck to the next trying to hold onto the sidecar with all of his might.

The motorcycle screeched to a halt. The two friends surveyed the huge clouds of sand that billowed up from the construction site where the truck had gone and evidently crashed.

* * *

"Uh... Was that our fault?" Rivalz frowned as he tried to discern the vehicle in the thick.

"I don't think so..."

As the clouds cleared away, Lelouch caught sight of... Something. " _What is that?_ " A sparkling dust seemed to be emitted from an opening on the top of the truck. At the same time, he felt an irrational pull towards the source of the light, as though the answers to all of life's question was contained within.

"What the hell...?"

He distantly heard Rivalz complaining about the motorcycle. While he knew that they would be having some problems getting back to school on time, it seemed utterly insignificant at the moment.

"Yeah..." He responded dazedly. "Rivalz, come check this out."

The twinkling lights faded away, leaving Lelouch mildly disoriented and bewildered. " _What was that?_ " He thought. He wasn't easily rendered mute out of complete confusion, but the strange lights and the senseless beckoning he experienced was simply... Odd.

As he recovered from the brief shock, he swept his gaze and noticed the people gathering to look at the crash. In spite of the many people, not one of them made an attempt to go help out the drivers of the vehicle, instead choosing to spectate or ask if anyone was going to help.

Lelouch felt his eyes narrow at them as his hands twitched. " _They're like unguided sheep! Can they not grasp the seriousness of this?!_ " He thought.

"All those idiots!" He gritted his teeth.

Rivalz stiffened. He knew what was going to follow. "Lelouch...!"

It was too late. As Lelouch took off, he made a note to apologize to his friend later on, but there wasn't time to waste. He ran down to where the truck was sitting. And began trying to push aside the rubble covering the front of the car.

"Hello? Are you alright in there? Can you hear my voice?!" As he began climbing a ladder that allowed him entrance, Lelouch felt dread as he imagined the pictured the lifeless body of the driver. "Are you okay!?"

Suddenly, another strange sensation washed over him. A distant voice called to him, though he couldn't pick up what it was saying. Just as quickly as the feeling came, it was gone.

"...? Where...? Hello? Are you in there?!" The truck abruptly shifted into reverse, and Lelouch found himself tumbling into the open top. Only with a sliver of instinct did he manage to roll upon hitting the ground and avoid breaking his neck. _"What the hell are these people doing?!_ "

"Stop! I'm in here!" He yelled, but it was futile. His voice remained unheard in the din. All he could do was find a way to stabilize himself in the chaos. After a few seconds being thrown around by the sharp turns the vehicle was making, Lelouch was able to safely stand up. As he surveyed his surroundings, he saw, to his great dismay, that there was no way of climbing out. "You would think that they would stick a ladder on the inside, too!"

He began attempting to climb up the strange object he was sharing the storage space with in an attempt to climb out. As he tried to find handholds, he was halted by a loud voice commanding the driver to stop. Lelouch paused as he waited to learn more about his situation.

"Surrender now and you'll get the chance to defend yourself in court!"

"Stop, and surrender at once!"

" _Defend myself in court? What are they talking about? Are they speaking to the driver of this thing?_ " Lelouch wasn't given much time to ponder this, for shortly afterwards the loud banging of gunfire ripped through the air, and Lelouch found himself slipping about once again as the truck began to swerve. " _I'm getting really tired of this._ " He thought. " _I just wanted to help out, and now I'm being caught up in someone's crime?_ '

"If I jump out now, I have the choice of breaking my neck or getting shot." Lelouch mused. "I _can_ try to call-"

The door hissed open unexpectedly, forcing Lelouch to hide himself in the shadows of the peculiar metal object. He poked his head out to watch a young woman with spiky, pink hair walked in. As she made her way across the chamber, she barked to the driver. "Can you enter the subway via the Azubu route?"

The motorist didn't answer her question, but instead exclaimed "Kallen, let's use it here! Why not?"

"Because that would mean a blood bath!" The girl named Kallen shouted back.

The driver groaned. "Ugh. You're right!"

Lelouch felt a hint of recognition as he watched Kallen ascend the stairs to another strange object. " _I've seen her before..._ "

Once the girl had entered the odd device, Lelouch reviewed his situation, which was now more complicated than before. He was stuck in a van with two criminals with law enforcement in pursuit. If he had a chance of bargaining his safety with the criminals before, it was gone now that he had actively hidden himself from them. " _Think, Lelouch, think! There must be a solution to escaping... But what is it?_ "

The door in the back slowly began to slide open. As it did, Lelouch noted that the machine the girl had entered had begun to emit a loud hum. Suddenly, a loud whirring noise filled the chamber. Lelouch watched in awe as the device leaped out the vehicle, revealing its humanoid form as it did so. Lelouch had seen enough to know that it was a knightmare of Britannian model. He dragged his attention away from the robotic weapon too late to notice the open door that it had exited through was closing. Despite reacting as soon as he had observed this, he was far too late to devise any method of escaping.

"Crap!" He exclaimed. "These guys are real terrorists!" He had had a sliver of hope that the whole scenario was some sort of elaborate prank, though he never truly believed it. He scrambled back into his hiding place and whipped out his cell phone. Glancing at the bars, he quietly groaned. "No reception. We're out of range." He quickly thought this through. "Judging from the darkness and road surface, we must be driving along the old subway lines. They're headed for an exit somewhere in the ghetto. Getting out will be dangerous, but still... Okay, I've got it. I'm not big on the military, but I'll take their protection... Oh, wait, I forgot..."

* * *

Lelouch sat silently in the darkness for several minutes. " _What do I do? It's already dangerous enough to be remotely involved in this, but right now, either side could attack me! There's no place I can turn to for assistance!_ " These thoughts chased each other about in a crazed frenzy, growing more and more desperate by the minute. Unexpectedly, the truck plunged, leaving Lelouch momentarily suspended by his momentum.

Lelouch picked himself up from the ground once again. "An accident? Or else..." " _Have we been captured?_ "

He ducked for cover as the door slid open. After peeking out, he determined that there was no one in the immediate area. "Now I can use this chance to climb up." He mumbled to himself. " _This nightmare is almost-_ " He spun around to see a person in combat gard leaping up into a spinning kick. As he watched the attacker's knee extend, Lelouch brought up his arms to protect himself from the blunt of the blow. Nevertheless, the strike was sufficient to knock the adolescent off his feet.

Lelouch shook with effort as he attempted to push himself off of the ground. "A-Are you Britannian?"

The assailant grabbed Lelouch's neck and pinned him down with one hand. With the other, he released the lower half of his helmet. "That's enough mindless murder." His voice was rough, but still somewhat youthful.

"W-Wait, I'm not one of-"

"Planning to use poison gas? Don't play dumb with me!"

Lelouch somehow managed to muster the strength to kick the other man off of him. He stood. "I'm not here by choice! And if that's poison gas, it was made by Britannia, wasn't it?"

The other male gasped softly, but Lelouch was too angry to pay any attention to it.

"Mindless murder?" Lelouch seethed as he stepped forwards. "Then why don't you just obliterate Britannia?!"

"... Lelouch." He blinked. The man was removing his helmet. "It's me. Suzaku."

Lelouch gasped. Kururugi Suzaku. He was the son of the last Japanese Prime Minister, Kururugi Genbu, and Lelouch's best friend after he had left Britannia. They had parted ways only a few months after they had met, after Britannia had conquered Japan.

"You... You became a Britannian soldier?"

"And what about you? You're a-"

"What are you saying?!"

Before the joyous reunion of the two could continue, the machine that Lelouch had just learned contained poison gas hummed loudly and began releasing various pressure seals. Vapor hissed as the device's internal computer encountered an error and began to prematurely open. A blinding golden light filled the room. Suzaku tacked Lelouch and covered his mouth as an impromptu protection against the poison gas that was sure to follow.

However, they were both surprised as the weapon opened up like a flower, revealing a chamber in which was a green-haired girl restrained in a straitjacket.

Suzaku whispered to both himself and Lelouch. "That's not poison gas... What is it?"

Lelouch slowly crawled to the girl, who appeared to be barely awake. After easing an arm around her shoulder and lifting her head off the ground, he got to work in releasing the ties that was restraining her. As he worked, he spoke to his old friend. "Tell me the truth, Suzaku. Poison gas? This girl?"

Suzaku joined him in freeing the girl. "Hey, it's what they told us in the briefing. I swear!"

No sooner were the words out of his mouth when a new light filled the room. As the two boys' eyes slowly adjusted, they saw the outlines of several figures. Lelouch's felt great dread as he took notice of their military uniforms.

"Stinking monkey!" The one in front spoke, contempt quite conspicuous. "Being an honorary Britannian will not excuse you!"

Suzaku leaped to his feet and ran forwards. "Uh.. But Sir! I was told this was poison gas!"

"How _dare_ you question orders!" The man growled.

Lelouch's mind was reeling. While unbinding the girl, he had partially speculated that she was of some strategic worth to the empire, but he couldn't grasp how. But now... " _A poisonous situation... Which would pose a threat to Suzaku's superiors if it's unleashed!_ "

"However," The man continued "In light of your outstanding military achievements, I'm going to be lenient. Private Kururugi, take this and execute the terrorist!"

Lelouch's breath caught in his throat. " _He's talking about me!_ "

Suzaku turned to his childhood acquaintance. "But sir, he's not a terrorist! He's a civilian who got caught up in all this!"

"You... Insubordinate little... That's an order! Didn't you swear your loyalty and life to Britannia?!"

"Yes... But..."

Suzaku looked down. Lelouch, still holding onto the freed girl, felt his whole body go cold. " _This is the end._ " He thought. " _I'm about to die to my old friend in the name of my father's empire._ " This prospect paralyzed him. It just _couldn't_ be.

"But... I can't." Suzaku's voice was filled with a pained tension.

"What?!"

"I won't do it, sir. I won't shoot a civilian." He turned and smiled gently towards Lelouch. Lelouch could barely refrain from screaming at Suzaku. While he was genuinely touched by the Honorary Britannian's actions, it was pointless. If Suzaku refused to kill him, that only meant that there would be one extra casualty. There would be no difference to the ultimate outcome.

"I can't follow your orders, sir."

"Very well." The captain nodded and shot Suzaku without the slightest hint of hesitation.

"Suzaku!" Lelouch screamed out. He watched in pain as his friend fell to the ground, blood trailing behind him.

The man turned his eyes away from the fallen soldier. "Well, Britannian School Boy, not a good day to cut class!" He then spoke to the men with their guns drawn flanking him. "Collect the girl. After you've secured her, kill the student."

The soldiers spoke in unison. "Yes, My Lord!"

Lelouch stared uncomprehendingly as the men rushed forwards. In a few mere seconds, he, Lelouch Lamperouge vi Britannia, would be dead. Forever. However, before they even reached him and the girl, the crashed truck exploded. Fortunately for Lelouch, the blast was only strong enough to knock him forwards. After collecting himself, he grabbed the girl and began to run under the cover of the smoke. Not much longer after they took to the tunnels, the ground began to shake periodically. " _No... They wouldn't... Unless..._ " The girl tripped and fell. " _Is she really worth massacring a population of people?!_ "

* * *

"What the hell are you?!" Lelouch leaned against a wall as he held his head delicately with his left hand, a practice he resorted to whenever he needed to think things through. "This chaos is all your fault, isn't it?!" He stared intently into nothingness, his mind struggling to grasp the magnitude of everything that was going on around him. His world was quite literally falling apart. This truth was amplified with the sensations of explosions and the nearby popping of gunfire.

He let out a shaky groan that carried the culmination of his fear and rage. "Not only that, but Britannia has..." He paused. "... They even killed Suzaku!" Lelouch cursed his weakness. " _I'm only useful when something requires mental strength. As soon as I'm put in situations like these... I'm weak, aren't I? Yes... It's exactly as_ _ **he**_ _phrased it. I'm achieving nothing!_ "

He pushed himself off the wall. "Come on. If we continue traveling along this route, the next exit should leave us less than a quarter mile from the edge of the Shinjuku Ghetto. If we're careful and pass through only areas that have already been swept through, we have a chance of surviving this nightmare."

Eventually, the two found the exit Lelouch spoke of. Once they reached the base of the steps, Lelouch ordered the girl to keep hiding and to not make any noise. Before he reached the top of the steps, there was the drumming of machine gun fire, then the sound of a body hitting the ground. Lelouch slowly peeked out of the exit.

"Report!" The killer of Suzaku demanded.

"We found nothing but Elevens here, sir."

"Hmmm... You're sure of it? That exit comes out here?"

"Yes, sir. It matches our map of the city."

Lelouch was about to duck back into the ruins of the subway when the sound of a crying child nearby echoed throughout the room. Then, the machine gun started up again. Lelouch looked back and saw the body of a girl that couldn't have been older than five collapse, blood flowing freely from her body every which way. Tears threatened to overflow as he wrenched his eyes away from the sight. " _One day, I swear..._ "

The ringing of a cellular phone echoed throughout the room. Lelouch's face felt like ice as he slowly reached down and turned off his phone. But the damage was already done. The soldiers ran up to the stairwell where the two were hiding and grabbed Lelouch and the girl. After pulling the latter away, the soldiers (whose sigil, upon closer examination, was that of the Royal Guard) kicked Lelouch towards a wall.

"What an appropriate location for a terrorist to meet his end!" The leader chuckled. Lelouch's mind was racing. " _There's... Nothing. There's nothing I can do! There's no distractions or exits, no way out of this! I-I could show them my seal... But no... They would still kill me, even if they knew I was a prince. They could just hide the body. This girl is valuable enough to slaughter hundreds of innocent people, Japanese and Britannians alike, to hide any evidence! There's... Nothing I can do!_ "

"Y-You scum..."

"Still, you did well for a student, but that's to be expected. You're a Britannian." He paused, pulling out the same gun that had killed Suzaku. "Unfortunately, my clever young friend, you have no future."

Lelouch squeezed his eyes and waited for the shot to fire. In his mind, he saw the smiling faces of his friends. Nunnally, Rivalz, Shirley, Milly, and Nina. Even though it had been a long time since they had played together, Lelouch also saw Suzaku, smiling as widely as he did seven years prior. Lelouch struggled with the thought of dying without doing anything, but ultimately resigned himself. There was no point in struggling.

The man's finger seemed to take forever to pull the trigger. However, right as Lelouch thought he was truly out of time, the girl rushed out. Somehow having freed her mouth from the straitjacket, she screamed "He mustn't die!" and placed herself in between the gun and Lelouch. There was but one pop, and the girl fell.

"You shot her!" Lelouch shouted. He slowly stepped forward to watch as blood pooled around the girl's slackened face.

The Royal Guardsman showed no concern. "Hmph. Our orders were to bring her back alive if possible... Oh well, nothing can be done about it now." His face took on a look of contemplation. "We'll tell our superiors that the Royal Guard found the terrorist hideout and killed them all. Regrettably, the female hostage had already been tortured to death. What do you think, Schoolboy?"

Lelouch reached out to touch the girl's hand, but stopped. His hand shook with a mixture of sadness and anger. It was the third time that day that he was faced with death, and he felt his sanity slipping rapidly. " _How can this be happening? First Suzaku's killed, then this girl! Now I'm about to die... Before I've had a chance to do a single thing with my life! It's gone in a heartbeat..._ " An image of his sister sitting peacefully in a meadow flashed in his mind. " _Nunnally!_ "

Suddenly, the dead girl's hand reached out and grasped Lelouch's wrist. No sooner had it happened than Lelouch experienced himself falling, as though he had been suddenly teleported into a free fall. The crushing darkness around him was lit up by glowing cables attached to Lelouch's arms and legs that twisted every which way. Around Lelouch, more lights appeared as a girl's voice spoke into his mind. "You don't want it to end here, do you?"

Lelouch couldn't believe what was happening. Everything seemed to... Be. He was experiencing a new state of mind he had never known existed. Unknown images, thoughts, and feelings seemed to flow from an unknown source. " _What?_ "

"You appear to have a reason for living." It was the green-haired girl's voice.

" _The girl... That's impossible!"_

"If I grant you power, could you go on? I propose a deal." Lelouch saw two strange worlds pass by one another. "In exchange for this power," the voice continued "you will make my one wish come true. Accept this contract and you will accept its conditions, while living in the world of humans, you will live unlike any other. A different providence, a different time, a different life." More images flashed in Lelouch's mind. He saw himself being suspended in an eternal void. He saw a strange, bird-like symbol stamped in stone. He saw strangely colored and tattooed children standing together. Lastly, he saw a distant, orange planet, not unlike Jupiter in appearance. However, Lelouch knew, for some odd reason, that it was something far different.

"The Power of the King will condemn you to a life of solitude. Are you prepared for this?"

Lelouch felt energy surge through his body, as he began to truly grasp the magnitude of what was happening. "Yes. I hereby accept the terms of your contract!"

Reality returned. Lelouch was still crouching over the girl. His mind was reeling from what had just happened. As soon as he had agreed to the deal, he perceived his body being overwhelmed by a strange foreign presence. The sensation rapidly began to concentrate itself into his left eye. As soon as it had done so, he knew. He knew of his Geass. There was no process of learning. He simply knew.

He slowly rose, keeping his eyes on the girl. He was unsure who or what she was at that point, but that wasn't the priority. Lelouch felt a smirk grow on his face. He was still confused, but it didn't matter. The important thing was that now, he, Lelouch, held all the cards. "Say..." He spoke to the soldiers with their guns pointing at him. "How should a Britannian who detests his own country live his life?"

The officer that killed Suzaku and girl was a little confused. Just a second ago, the boy had apparently given up all hope, but now he was posing theoretical questions? "Are you some kind of radical?"

Lelouch stood and taunted the men. "What's wrong? Why not shoot? Your opponent is just a schoolboy. Or do you finally understand that dogs of war are nothing more than dogs?" Lelouch felt the power in his left eye grow active.

The men started trembling in fear as they beheld the bird that seemed to be glowing in the boy's eye. "What's happening here?!"

"I, Lelouch vi Britannia, command you: Do as I say!"

All the men seemed to snap. Some twitched violently, while others' eyes went out of focus. Their superior officer momentarily covered his ears and closed his eyes, shuddering as his capability to command his own mind and body was yanked away. But after only five seconds, the Royal Guard all straightened and saluted, their loyalty absolute as they spoke as one. "Yes, Your Highness!"

Lelouch felt excitement whelm up in his body. This was it. This was what he had been destined for his whole life. Everything had led to this. This was the day that he would change _everything_.


	2. 2 - Poisoned Pawn Variation

Hello.I would like to quickly note that I started this fanfic after watching the third episode of Akito the Exiled. Since so many mysteries surround the plot of this series thus far, I'm just going to proceed and write with my own theories in mind. Don't worry. I'm only noting that I will be using Akito as references for Geass and the political situation in the E.U. (and the occasional allusion, like the one in the one in this chapter! See if you can spot it!)

Thank you, and enjoy!

2 - Poisoned Pawn Variation

" _The only way to predict your future is to create it._ " - Abraham Lincoln

Lelouch stood silently for some time, determining what his priorities were. Now that he had twisted the dangerous situation into his favor, he began planning out a way to take control of the entire battlefield that was the Shinjuku Ghetto. " _I'm tempted to order this scum to kill themselves, but that would be too rash. They'll die, but not before they serve a purpose._ " He smiled and eyed the men, who stood absolutely still as they saluted. He noted that all of their eyes were rimmed with red. " _So there is a way to identify those under the control of my Geass. I should be careful of that, especially if this goes back to who I think it does._ "

"Tell me what you know about this girl." Lelouch issued his first order to the soldiers.

The leader genuflected and said "As you wish, Your Highness. We were informed that she is a high-priority subject that is involved with the Code R Project."

Lelouch's eyes narrowed. "What's 'Code R'?"

The Royal Guardsman bowed again. "It's a top-secret project that is led by Prince Schneizel, Prince Clovis, and General Bartley. That's all we know about it."

Lelouch smirked. "I figured that this involved the Britannian government, but I'm still surprised. Maybe it wasn't a mistake to keep you alive."

The leader laughed in a manner that bordered on maniacal. "We live to serve, My Lord!"

"Good. Now, here are my instructions." Lelouch had put great thought into what he was going to do with his new toys. After some internal debate, he ultimately decided to use them to completely confuse and collapse the enemy's chain of command. "You are to cause as many distractions as possible for the next ten minutes. Kill as many Britannian officials as possible, issue conflicting orders, destroy military equipment. Minimize the amount of Elevens killed. If you ever find yourself in danger of being caught, are actually captured, or time runs out, kill yourself as soon as possible. If you live ten minutes beyond the time limit, then forget everything that happened today."

The men tapped their heels together, staring straight ahead. "As you command, Your Highness!" They then marched uniformly out of the room.

* * *

The prince stood in the quiet for some time. He surveyed the dead bodies piled throughout the room. His gaze finally landed on the green-haired girl. "Why did you grant me this power?" He asked the corpse. "What point was there to it? What wish am I supposed to fulfill if you're already dead? Better yet, what are _you_?" There was no response in the stillness. Suddenly, the doorway that the Royal Guard had just exited burst. Lelouch shielded his eyes from the pieces of rubble flying about. When the majority of the dust settled, he looked up to find a knightmare looking down at him. " _This was unexpected... But not unwelcome._ "

"Why is there a Britannian student here?" A female voice was broadcast from the weapon. "Did you kill these people?"

Lelouch remained silent. He needed to deal with this problem, otherwise he could be killed before his new plans could come to fruition.

The voice came back. "Answer me!" To further emphasize the urgency of her questions, she shot holes in the wall behind Lelouch.

The schoolboy felt annoyance towards this newcomer. At this point, all she was doing was slowing him down. "I order you to come out at once!" He commanded as the power of Geass illuminated his eye.

The woman growled. "Who the hell do you think you are to order _me_?"

Lelouch sighed internally. " _It isn't working? Then maybe I need to have direct eye contact for it to work..._ " That left him with the task of getting the soldier to get out of the knightmare.

He moved his arms into a gesture of surrender. "My name is Julius Kingsley! My father's a duke!" He gave the soldier a little time to dwell on his lie. "My ID card is in my breast pocket. After you confirm who I am, I ask your protection." He presented these statements in a brief, consecutive order, so that the operator of the knightmare wouldn't interject and cause his lie to falter. Lelouch took special care to mention the identification card. Unlike the commonwealth, members of the military and the high elite class (excluding the direct royal family) were given special documents that stated their position or relationship of significance. Simply by mentioning these credentials, his words gained a new level of leverage.

To his utmost satisfaction, the purr of the knightmare stopped. " _Good. Now exit and get where I can see you._ " There was a hiss, and the cockpit door swung open. Lelouch watched as the knightmare operator descended, handgun readied and aimed at him. He kept his hands up and smirked. " _And I'm already in control._ " He thought evilly.

"Keep your hands in the air. I'll take out your ID." The woman approached cautiously, well aware of the fact that she was approaching a suspicious individual in the middle of a battlefield. Unfortunately for her, this particular person possessed an unfathomable weapon that carried inconceivable amounts of power.

Lelouch suppressed his urge to grin and activated his Geass. "Now hand over the knightmare to me."

The soldier skillfully spun her handgun and held it out to Lelouch. "Understood." She said, twirling the electronic ignition key with the other hand. "Its number is XG21-G2D4." She then tossed the passkey to the boy.

Lelouch caught the projectile with minimal effort. "Very well." He said. As he walked past the woman, who was staring blankly at the bullet-riddled wall behind him, he nodded at her. "Good work, soldier." He grinned as he was pulled up towards the control chamber. " _Now, time to have a crash-course lesson in knightmare piloting._ "

* * *

It took just over a minute for Lelouch to grasp the overall layout and function of the knightmare controls. He then sought out a less conspicuous place to idle. He finally found an undestroyed bridge to stand under as he made a phone call.

Ring ring... Ring rin-

"Lulu? What have you been up to? Where are you now? If you keep cutting class, you'll be held back..."

Lelouch smiled. " _As apprehensive as ever, Shirley._ " "Are you near a TV?"

"A TV?"

"Sorry. This is important." Lelouch said as he began gathering data about his situation from his knightmare's heads-up display.

"Hang on." Her voice grew faint. "Hey, can I change the channel?"

Another student's voice could be heard. "To what?"

"The news. Is there anything about Shinjuku?" He supplied.

"The news? Let's see... Nothing on except stuff about traffic restriction."

"Why is it restricted?"

"Dunno. They're not saying anything special."

" _I see. They'll finish everyone off, then just release whatever story they want to._ " He had to admit, it was smart. Just as knowledge was a powerful tool, the ability to censor and alter it was equally potent, if not more so. Just then, he noticed a chessboard on the ground.

Shirley's voice seemed far off as Lelouch pondered the board. "You're off gambling again, aren't you? I told you before how dangerous it is!" Her suspicion and frustration was tangible to Lelouch.

" _It's almost scary how accurate some of her predictions are._ " Lelouch smiled, reflecting on the time she told him that he's get beaten up by some 'riff-raff' if he kept it up. " _Little did she realize it was our government that was the 'riff-raff'_." He thought. "Yeah. I know. Oh, and tell my little sister I'm going to late coming home. Bye." He promptly terminated the connection. " _It seems like hanging up on her is becoming a bad habit of mine. I should probably apologize to her later after Rivalz. I can almost feel her anger from here._ "

* * *

Lelouch pulled up a map with several blue dots that indicated other knightmare units in the vicinity. " _As long as they're trying to trying to suppress this information, it'll be hard for them to call reinforcements. In short, they have to work with the pieces they now have on the board. Even so, surrounded like this, it'll be difficult to break through by myself. And trying to seek protection carries its own risks._ " He opened up the cockpit and looked around. In the sky, he watched a burning helicopter plummet to the ground. His eyes narrowed. "How about you pay me back for dragging me into your fight?"

Before going off to join the fray, Lelouch got out and gathered the chess pieces that lay scattered about, then found a good place to observe the fight. The Britannian student watched the red knightmare being chased by two blue ones. It was obvious the former was struggling greatly. Lelouch noted that it was an out-of-date model of a knightmare called a 'Glasgow', while the two pursuing ones were modern 'Sutherlands'. On top of that, the glasgow seemed to be missing an arm. Lelouch casually unbuttoned his school uniform and pulled out a portable two-way radio he found inside the cockpit of his knightmare. After locating the glasgow with the map on his screen, he quickly surfed through the shared information on the system until he found the right string of digits, which he then entered into his radio. He heard a female voice desperately say something about only having thirty minutes left, and knew he had found the right channel.

He took a deep breath and deepened his voice. "The west entrance! Use the train tracks to move over to the west entrance!"

The voice, which he assumed belonged to the girl that was in the truck, crackled back. "Who is this? How do you know this code?"

"If you want to win, then trust me!" Lelouch flexed his right hand and tugged on his collar as he spoke. He had seen that this girl's skill was more than sufficient for the task needed. All he needed now was to be able to use her. This meant that he would have to command like the prince he truly was without the aid of his newly-acquired Geass.

"Win?" The girl sounded almost shocked at the prospect. In the heat of the moment, it hadn't occurred to her that in the midst of all this chaos and slaughter, there might be a way to beat Britannia. Of course, in the vast majority of cases, she wasn't wrong. However, unbeknownst to her, this was no ordinary set of circumstances. She was in the presence of a tactical and strategical genius, whose intellect was widely unrivaled throughout the empire, and, indeed, the world.

Lelouch watched closely as the glasgow leaped up onto the tracks. " _Good. Now..._ "

The voice of the glasgow's operator returned. "Hey! What do I do now?" Her voice was anxious, likely due to the two Britannian units closing in on her.

"Since you trusted me, you get to win. Jump on the train!"

"Understood!" The red knightmare leaped onto the train, while one of the blue units leisurely took the time to stop the train. The unit behind it, after pausing for a second, crouched and leaped over the other. " _Alright._ " Lelouch thought. " _I should fire... Now._ " He launched his slash harkens directly in the path of the flying knightmare. With a satisfying crash, he watched as the machine fell apart in midair. The other sutherland turned to look at him and began shouting demands at him over its broadcast system. In response, Lelouch simply aimed his gun and fired. " _This is much easier than I imagined it to be. All that's required is the ability to point and shoot._ " His target's leg blew up, and Lelouch stopped shooting. " _It would be best to conserve bullets for now._ "

Unfortunately for him, Lelouch failed to realize that the driver of his quarry was still perfectly able to shoot to kill. As his opponent was drawing up his gun, the prince could do nothing but fear that his grand plans were about to grind to a halt at that moment.

The man in the sutherland roared "You son of a-"

His voice was cut out as another scream teared through the air. The Glasgow Girl was back for her revenge. Evidently seeing no way out of the situation, the Britannian soldier ejected, his cockpit flying off into the distance before deploying its parachute. The now-pilotless frame it left behind slowly fell to the ground.

Lelouch turned his back on the victory and continued moving. " _Now's not the time to be watching the fireworks._ " He chided himself as he leaped out of the window at the end of the hallway he was traveling in. Taking a few more seconds of finding a secure lookout post, he watched a group of armed civilians -presumably terrorists- run up to and communicate with the glasgow pilot. Turning on his radio, still set to the red knightmare's channel, he spoke as his new, alternate ego. "Are you in charge?"

The man responded. "Uh, yeah."

" _Brilliantly said, sir._ " Lelouch rolled his eyes. "I present to you the cargo of that train there. They're tools for your victory." He stopped, giving the man and himself a moment to think. "If you want to use them to win, then follow my orders." He smirked. Now that he had presented these revolutionaries who were fighting a losing battle with gifts and promises of success, there was a very little chance that they would deny him. He then checked the time. " _My puppets should be dead soon. Hopefully, they caused enough of a stir._ "

The terrorists flocked around the trains. Calls of shock and excitement could be heard through Lelouch's radio. Though it was very promising, the battle wasn't going to stop for them. "Woman in the Glasgow," He said. It may have been better if he had used her real name as influence, but he couldn't recall whether it was Kaitlyn or Caroline or _whatever_.

"Y-Yes?" Her voice trembled.

"Stay where you are. Your unit's going to run decoy, you got that?"

"U-Understood!"

"Energy filler status?"

"About fifteen minutes worth!"

"Then recharge it. In ten minutes I'll contact you with your next instructions." Lelouch shut off his radio. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "This is wearing me out." He allowed himself a second to relax. His eyes opened. "Regardless, I'll need determination to succeed. After all," He picked up the black king piece. "I'm betting my life on this game."

Lelouch heard voices talking over the radio. As he listened to what they were saying, he found himself taking back the thought of writing off the terrorist leader as an idiot. " _He at least has a general idea about how the empire would think._ " He then glanced at the clock built into his HUD. " _Time flies, doesn't it?_ "

He decided to first communicate directly to the female pilot. It would be easier to give instructions that way. He told her what he had in plan. " _A simple yet powerful move in chess. I probably shouldn't be too confident about its usage on the battlefield, but I'm fighting against someone who has yet to beat me, and I know that he could never stand ignoring it._ "

Lelouch then broke down his plan to the rest of the insurgents. They would remain inactive until they could reap the most rewards. He then told them to follow his orders using standard alphanumeric designation system that was already in place with the knightmares in order to keep track of the group. After giving them some time to figure out who was assigned to what. he spoke again. "P-1, can you move? It operates basically the same as what's you're used to."

"Can't you tell us who you are?"

Lelouch groaned. He knew that this would come at one point or another, but he still wasn't sure how to answer it. He didn't blame them for being skeptical of his help, but it still was serving as more of a bother than anything. He decided to openly reject the inquiry. "I can't do that. What if these signals are being intercepted? Anyway, if Q-1 is on schedule, enemy sutherlands, probably two of them, will reach you in 23 seconds. Shoot them through the wall."

Lelouch held his breath for quite some time. It would take a lot of trust from these strangers, but if they did as they were told, both he and they would gain. Now, the question was _if_ they actually would listen. He glanced at the clock. " _I hope my prediction wasn't too far off._ "

At twenty seconds his map, two ID signals approached where Lelouch predicted them to appear. The terrorists shot through the wall, as they were told. Lelouch's heart soared as he heard the telltale sounds of knightmares being torn apart. " _I knew it! You haven't changed one bit, Clovis!_ " The two signals on the screen disappeared, their positions being covered by the word 'LOST'. The schoolboy smiled. " _An ID signal can be a double-edged sword. Besides, if the terrorists follow my commands, then I've virtually cleared the conditions here._ "

Lelouch then wiped the evil grin off his face and began focusing on the task at hand. While he already had his enemy and his own forces exactly where he wanted them to be, it wasn't quite time to start popping the champagne. An enemy such as the Britannian Empire couldn't be taken lightly. With that alarming thought in mind, Lelouch went to work.

When he truly focused himself, Lelouch surpassed many of the boundaries that the common human couldn't reach in their whole lifetime. He could mentally play out multiple situations simultaneously and see each one's tactical strengths and weaknesses. He could also forecast how using any given tactical plan would affect his long term strategy. Possibly most important of all, however, would be his ability to keep track of _everything_. He could take an inconceivable amount of factors into account and adjust his plans accordingly, with a very slim chance of losing track of just one of these countless details. That is why, when Lelouch concentrated, no matter how strong or fast they were, no matter how big their guns were, and no matter how much they struggled, Britannia's forces were outmatched.

"Now then, the enemy has five options..." Lelouch stared at his screen, waiting to see the course of action his half-brother would take. " _You could send the remaining forces as a sweeping force to attempt to keep together and overwhelm the all of the enemy. Or, you could attempt a pincer maneuver in the area you expect the enemy to be in, though they are a little shorthanded to even bother. Alternatively, one could also divide their forces and slowly disperse and wait for a group to be hit, then swarm that area. Another option is to slowly tighten the encirclement for the time being. Otherwise, you could simply hold your troops on standby and wait for reinforcements before attacking._ " Lelouch spun a knight around in his hand as he waited for his opponent's move. However, Clovis took a completely different course of action.

* * *

The schoolboy was surprised as he watched the encirclement surrounding the Shinjuku ghetto break off and enter the battlefield. "Well now, they made an even stupider move than I expected." He brought his radio up to his ear. "Q-1, your map is accurate, right?"

"Right. For the old town. But without any current landmarks..."

"It'll do."

" _Finally... It's time._ " With the situation as it was, he decided to use his third and final stratagem that he had informed the terrorists of. He relayed the decision to the girl in Q-1. "Mission number three. You're ready for them?" The military continued to close in on her unit's perceived location. " _As expected. However, I didn't imagine it would be this easy._ "

Lelouch picked up the black king. "With this," He said. "I call check."

The centermost crowd of knightmares, obviously confounded by the lack of enemies, was suddenly replaced with a blanket of 'LOST' tags. And it didn't stop. A wave of these notifications spread over a vast area rapidly. More and more knightmares were consumed by the ground that Lelouch had so easily weaponized. The fallen prince laughed maniacally as he watched dozens upon dozens of units be destroyed by the actualization of his simple plan. He inhaled deeply, chills running down his spine.

"It worked, didn't it?!" His voice was frenzied with his excitement. "I can do it! I can! I can defeat Britannia!" His eyes were nearly tearing as the terrorists, _his_ terrorists, wiped out the few remaining knightmares that withstood the collapse. Everything was going better than expected. Lelouch then gave directions to spread out the troops to maintain a uniform defense. "Another push and the checkpoint will fall..."

* * *

"This is B-Group! Confirm signs of enemy!"

"Hm? Reinforcement?s? Real battle is different, isn't it?" Indeed, there weren't many games where a player could simply produce more pieces or cards to their aid.

"Status?" He asked as he fiddled with the king piece. " _If they took the time to note this one, despite already cleaning up a few units, this must be a substantial force._ "

"Everyone ejected, but they took out four units in no time at all!"

"Number of enemies?"

"One! Just one!"

Lelouch paused. " _Did I hear that correctly?_ "

The terrorist went on. "I think it's a new model. Never seen anything like- Hwuh!" The radio began emitting static.

"Hey! What happened?"

His question remained unanswered, but it wasn't long before another group reported the mysterious enemy. "The-The bullets! They aren't hitting! It's like it's deflecting them or something!"

Lelouch leaned forwards. "What? The bullets are bouncing off it?"

"Yeah! What do we do? Ishida!" Once again, static.

" _Useless terrorists. If they're getting beaten by one unit with the resources they have..._ " He listened as more reports filtered in, though they were always cut off before much detail on the unit could be given. " _If it's taking out this many knightmares, perhaps this is something to tread lightly around._ "

"N-4, N-5, hold it there. When the rear units reach you, surround it."

"Gotcha!"

The sound of guns being fired were identifiable over the radio. " _They should really be less wasteful with the amount of resources we have._ "

"We can't stop this thing!" The desperate scream of one of the terrorists shook him from his thoughts.

"Hey! What's wrong?"

Static.

Lelouch felt his body go cold. If there really was something powerful enough to easily overtake the groups of the most modern model of knightmare while being operated with fairly-competent pilots, what could it possibly be?

"What is it? What's happening?"

The terrorist leader let out a scream, and then there was silence.

"P-1, what happened?!" Lelouch waited, but there was no answer. He tiredly brought the radio away from his face. "Is the enemy... Is it really just one unit?"

Lelouch stared at the piece in his hand. " _I miscalculated this. I shouldn't have taken Britannia so lightly. I can't win if I'm overconfident._ " A loud crash brought him back to reality. " _What was that?_ " Looking ahead, he saw a line that wasn't there before. " _Oh no._ " The line began trembling, which was accompanied by the telltale whirring of a slash harken. Before he had time to react, a white knightmare leaped into his field of vision and smashed a metallic fist into Lelouch's arms that he had brought up in self-defense. "This thing? This is what's ruining my plan?" The cockpit shook as he was pushed back by an obviously superior machine. Lelouch snarled as he shook with effort. "Just a pilot! How dare he!"

The old floor, under the strain of two conflicting knightmares, gave way. Lelouch fell three stories before being able to remain upright. "No choice! I have to get out of here!" Movement in the corner of his eye brought his attention to the screen. The white knightmare was leaping towards him from outside the building, though they were still quite high up. In the fraction of a second Lelouch had to process this, he was struck by two thoughts. The first was " _How did he manage to get out there?_ " The second, as he watched his opponent spin and bring their knee up, was " _I'm feeling a great deal of deja vu._ " Before he could have any more time to ponder this, he was flying backwards. The student could do nothing but hold on as his unit crashed into the ground.

Lelouch looked up at the white knightmare towering above him. " _You... I will destroy you._ " His opponent raised its fist, obviously preparing to breach his unit, when a flash of red appeared. " _Huh?_ " The girl had appeared, somehow still using her broken and outdated glasgow. The balance of power was great, but it was enough for Lelouch.

"Hey!" His savior's voice crackled over the radio, her voice reflecting the strain her unit was taking from being locked in a direct struggle with the insanely powerful Britannian unit. "I'm returning the favor!" Lelouch wasted no time in leaping out of the building and making his escape. " _She'll probably make it out alive. I'm sure she didn't rush in there aimlessly after seeing that knightmare's strength. Regardless, I have to remember that. The most vital element in battle is the human one._ "

A beeping alerted Lelouch that something was approaching. Looking at his map, he saw that it was the same signal as the white knight that had toppled the terrorist forces. " _Oh no you don't!_ " He spun around and began shooting, if only to buy him some time to think. " _So much for conserving ammunition._ " He thought as he unloaded hundreds of bullets to collapse the buildings he was passing. After three attempts, he succeeded, but it was to no avail. The attacking Britannian seemed to effortlessly dance around the falling rubble. "What is that monster?!" Lelouch shouted with fear and frustration. The white and gold knightmare continued to gain on him. " _I just need to get him to see me eye to eye. Then I'll be able to escape unhindered._ " However, before he could begin to hatch such a plan, the pursuer stopped and turned, leaping into the air and cupping the bodies of a falling woman and child. " _He rescues someone in the midst of battle?_ " He scoffed. " _I don't mind giving you the tactical victory here. Even so..._ " He grasped the two levers on his left and right and pulled, activating the ejection sequence. As he flew through the air, Lelouch grinned. " _I still win._ "

* * *

Upon landing, Lelouch got out of the cockpit and began strolling towards an exit from the ghetto. As he casually walked, he took note of the piles of corpses and the pools of blood. His nose wrinkled, and his lips twisted into a frown. " _These people died pointlessly. They died because Britannia made a mistake, and then forced the Japanese pay for it. Disgusting._ "

It wasn't long before the wandering schoolboy encountered a Britannian soldier. The man, seeing the standard Ashford Academy uniform, quickly ran up to Lelouch, unsure what to expect. Lelouch wasted no time. After all, he was _very_ late for class. "Excuse me?" His eye tingled as the Geass activated. "Could you please help me with something?"

* * *

Five minutes later, Lelouch was headed off towards the Clovis' royal vehicle, fully equipped with the garb of his now-sleeping military helper. " _This is really uncomfortable._ " He thought as he stumbled in the heavy clothes over his school uniform. Then, something vaguely familiar caught his eye. A field officer's cap, adorned with the sigil of the Royal Guard and thoroughly soaked with blood, sat on the ground. Lelouch felt a smirk creep onto his face. " _I'm impressed. I guess some dogs can be really obedient._ "

Lelouch continued ambling along in the direction that the provider of his outfit pointed him. A few minutes passed before he caught sight of the massive Royal transport that Clovis called a car. " _Humph. As excessively grandiose as ever, I see._ "

"Halt! Where's your ID?!" A soldier standing in front of the entryway pointed his gun at Lelouch. " _Too many guns pointed at me today._ " He thought absentmindedly.

The fighter continued. "This is Prince Clovis' personal transport!"

"At last, the checkpoint." Lelouch said, removing his helmet. "And you're as lightly guarded as I planned."

"Planned...?"

"Yes. Now, I'd like you to let me pass."

The serviceman straightened and lowered his gun. "I see. Understood."

As he passed the now controlled soldier, Lelouch placed his helmet back onto his head. It wasn't long until he entered the main chamber. Clovis, who was slouching whilst deep in thought, straightened up. "Hm? Who are you? I gave the order to leave me undisturbed while I think!"

Lelouch smiled. "I see. Well, I'm afraid I don't belong to the military or Britannia." He rested his hand on his handgun strapped to his hip. "You will give the order for a ceasefire. There will be no more fighting or destruction of the Shinjuku Ghetto. You will also address all casualties, Britannian and Eleven, with the same manner of respect."

Clovis' eyebrows raised at the sight of the pistol, but made no indication of any fear. After all, this wasn't the first time he had been faced by a potential assassin. All he needed to do now was just play along with this intruder's demands and wait for the time he ordered to be left alone to expire. He nodded. "Very well. Would you mind pressing that blue 'fleet broadcast' button there?"

"Attention, all forces! Cease fire at once! In the name of Clovis la Britannia, third prince and royal viceroy of Area Eleven, you are so ordered! All forces, cease fire at once! You shall also cease all destruction of buildings here! All casualties, either Britannian or Eleven, shall be treated without prejudice! In the name of Clovis la Britannia, you are so ordered! Cease fire at once! I shall allow no fighting!"

Lelouch turned off the mobile broadcasting studio. Clovis slumped back into his thinking posture again. "Satisfied?" he said.

"Yes. Well done."

"What now? A round of songs? Or perhaps a nice game of chess?"

Lelouch reached up to his helmet. "That has a familiar ring." he said nostalgically. He tossed the helmet to the side.

Clovis blinked to try and make our Lelouch's face in the shadows. "Hm?"

"Don't you remember? You used to play chess with me. Of course, I always won."

Clovis' voice contained the slightest trace of curiosity... And perhaps even fear. "What?"

Lelouch pulled out the pistol from his holster and cocked it. "Remember? At the Arias Villa?"

"You... Who are you?!" Fear and anguish was obvious this time as Clovis shouted his question.

Lelouch slowly walked forwards into the light. "It's been a long time, big brother."

The elder brother's face contorted itself in shock, his pupils shrank, and he rose from his seat.

Lelouch continued. "The eldest son of the late Empress Marianne Lamperouge and seventeenth in line to the imperial throne." He placed an arm across his chest and kneeled. "Lelouch vi Britannia, at your service."

* * *

"L-Lelouch?! But I thought-!"

"That I was dead?" Lelouch filled in the words too easily for a teenage boy.

Clovis la Britannia looked down at his brother in shock, his body trembling and his breaths coming in short gasps.

"I have returned, Your Highness. To change everything." He rose and walked up to Prince Clovis, pointing his handgun and his elder brother's forehead.

"I-I'm so glad, Lelouch! I heard you died during the capture of Japan. What good news that you're alive! Why don't you come back to the homeland with me?!"

"Does Father intend to use me as a tool of diplomacy again?"

"E-Eh? W-What are you t-talking about?"

"Ah. So you were never told. Father Dearest sent me and Nunnally to Japan as political hostages, not by our own free will. And apparently the Royal Family was never made aware of this?"

"I-I-I was never told anything like that!"

"You do know why we were used that way, though?"

Clovis' eyes answered for him. There was no one in the royal courts who didn't know.

"Yes. Because my mother was killed. She held the title of Knight of Honour, but she was originally a commoner. There's no doubt that the other empresses held her in contempt. Even so... Even if you made it look like the work of terrorists... You people killed my mother!"

"It wasn't me! I swear, it wasn't!"

"Then tell me what you know. No one can lie to me now." The Geass in Lelouch's eye activated, and Clovis was placed under its control. "Answer my questions!"

Clovis slumped back, his face taking on a dull expression. "Schneizel and Cornelia. They know."

Lelouch frowned. He could easily believe that Schneizel played a role, but _Cornelia_? That was unexpected. "They're the ringleaders?" Clovis just stared blankly. "That's all you know, huh?" Lelouch was about to dispel the Geass when he stopped. Something that was bothering him was the fact that the news of him and his sister being shipped away as pawns had not been known by Clovis, the third prince of Britannia. "What were you told when Nunnally and I left the mainland?"

"We were told that you and your sister wished to vacation here and find some relief in light of Empress Marianne's death."

"Hm. Did anyone ever try to find us?"

"Immediately after the war, several members of the nobility expressed their concerns regarding you and Nunnally being here, but nothing was done about it. Princess Cornelia and Euphemia both ordered that you be searched for, but no results were found."

Lelouch nodded. " _This is far more complex than I originally surmised._ " For one, there was the matter of Cornelia. While she _was_ incredibly prideful, she never showed any particular amount of dislike towards anyone in the family, and had seemed to enjoy the company of Lelouch and Nunnally. And the fact that no one knew the conditions of Lelouch's "vacation" was all the more suspicious. But above all...

"What is Code R? What is Geass?" Lelouch voiced the same question that he had asked the Royal Guard, and then some. While he was curious what the government was doing, there was a larger question that needed to be answered. Geass. A word that had just appeared in his mind after he had agreed to the contract. He knew that his power was this mysterious 'Geass', but Lelouch couldn't understand what it was, how it worked, anything.

Clovis began trembling, not unlike the men that Lelouch first used his Geass on. " _What's going on? Is he trying to resist it?_ "

The blond brother momentarily whispered "No." before relaxing. "Code R is a project that father has given Brother Schneizel, Bartley, and me. The objective is t-to weaponize the powers of Geass to allow us to destroy all resistance in the European Union, then the Chinese Federation. Geass is..." His voice stopped, then started once more. "Geass is... Geass is a power that allows us to change... A-And observe... Unpercievable... Things." He started rocking back and forth, tears flowing from his eyes. "With Geass, we... I... We can do _anything_." He stopped, and stared directly ahead of him, his eye twitching as he waited for the next question.

Lelouch's mind was reeling. " _So this power... Is already being used by Britannia? My father wields this power?!_ " He took a deep breath. "What about that girl in that container? The one that you claimed that there was poison gas in? Why was she in there?"

Clovis blinked slowly, then took a shuddering breath. "Her name is C.C. Sh-She is one of the only two people who can grant Geass powers. She defected some time ago, and we only managed to recover her recently."

Though his mind was in complete turmoil, the young prince maintained his calmness. After all, there was no time for speculation. Lelouch was sure that, soon, someone would come to check in on his elder brother. He dispelled his control over Clovis.

* * *

Prince Clovis sat still for a second, almost still in a trance from the Geass. Then he blinked and jumped, his eyes now back to their original color. "Huh?! It... It wasn't me, I swear! I didn't kill her! I didn't have her killed!" He screamed. His hands waved wildly as though it would stop what he _knew_ was coming. It took a moment for Lelouch to realize that his target had no memory of the questioning.

Lelouch brought the gun down. "I understand." Clovis breathed a sigh of relief. "However..." He stepped forwards and smiled at the cowering Third Prince of Britannia.

"No, don't!" Clovis trembled as he looked up the barrel of a gun. "We may have different mothers, but I'm still your brother! We're friends, remember!? We both have the Mark of Britannia! Please!"

" _You can't change the world without getting your hands dirty._ " Lelouch thought. He clenched his teeth.

"Long Live Britannia.


	3. 3 - Business As Usual

3 - Business As Usual

" _They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."_ -Andy Warhol

Clovis' face was frozen in an expression of utmost fear as his blood showered out of his head onto the seat behind him. His hands fell limply to his sides as his head rolled back. His body slowly slid off of his throne and onto the ground.

Lelouch looked down at his brother's corpse. " _Goodbye, brother. I won't forget the fun that we had so long ago._ " Along with the urge to vomit, many emotions whelmed up within him, but the prince managed to keep them all in check. The one thing Lelouch vi Britannia didn't feel, that he _refused_ to feel, was regret.

* * *

Lelouch's escape was significantly easier than it was when he was with the green-haired girl due to his Geass. In spite of this, it took some time to catch a bus to Ashford. When he finally reached home, it was well past 6:00.

"Lelouch!" Nunnally called out as he walked into the room. "Why are you so late? Everyone was worried!"

Lelouch smiled at his sister. "I'm sorry I didn't contact sooner. Some unexpected business popped up. I already texted Rivalz that I was alright."

Sayoko, the maid to the two siblings and one of the few people in the world who knew their true identities stood from her seat and bowed to Lelouch. "Good evening, sir. Dinner is ready for whenever you want it. Miss Nunnally insisted that we wait for you before dining."

Lelouch smiled appreciatively to the ever-loyal servant. "If either of you are hungry, there's no need to wait up for me. That said, I am quite famished. However, I really need to shower before I do." He excused himself and went to his room, where he picked up his pajamas, then went to the restroom. As he turned the shower on, he was mesmerized by the water falling. His mind suddenly flashed back to Clovis' brains being devastated by a bullet, the blood streaming out of the exit wound. He then kneeled before the toilet and hurled. After a few seconds of gagging and coughing, he shakily got up and washed out his mouth at the sink. He then flushed the toilet and jumped into the shower.

He stood still, recounting the day's events. At some point, he stopped feeling the water and the heat, being locked in the memory of his exploits of the day. So many mysteries swirled around his head, making him wish that he hadn't killed Clovis without gathering more information. After all that he had done, he was unsure how far the government had gotten in weapon using Geass. Furthermore, what were they going to do?

Lelouch was momentarily tempted with the idea of making his and Nunnally's identities public. If the Britannians were planning something, it would be safest to simply reclaim their positions as royalty. However... Lelouch abandoned this idea. If he were going to return to the Pendragon, he wouldn't be able to change the world, which would mean Clovis' death would have been in vain. Lelouch knew that the change the world needed couldn't be achieved by one of the many children of the emperor. Even though he was a member of the League of the Royal Twenty (the first twenty successors to the throne) and therefore had a higher authority than the heirs outside of the group, he still wouldn't be able to make an impact. What the world truly needed was someone who would get their hands dirty to forcefully purge the corrupt, self-serving words of the emperor from the world.

Lelouch finished cleaning himself, toweled off, then put on his pajamas. As he was about to exit the bathroom, he glanced at the mirror and was struck by yet another thought. " _What does my Geass look like? Those men were able to see something in my eyes before I put them under my control, so is there some form of an indicator?_ " He stared at himself. "As long as I don't say anything..." He activated his Geass.

Lelouch marveled as an orange outline of a bird-like creature spread its wings from within his eye, as though preparing itself to take flight. " _What power..._ " He stared. He stared and he stared. Though he wasn't aware of it, this was the same reason that the Royal Guard hadn't shot him as soon as they saw the Geass symbol in his eye. Whenever it was actuated, it had the tendency to hold its targets in place, temporarily unable to blink, turn away, or do anything to avoid being taken over. However, in Lelouch's case, the fact that he felt no fear or danger from it made him have no resistance to its captivating effects. In fact, a Lelouch could have very well stood there all night, looking into his own eyes. Fortunately, Sayoko knocked on the door, breaking Lelouch's self-induced hypnosis.

"Lelouch? Are you alright in there?"

Lelouch blinked, and remembered where he was. "Um, yes! I'm just so tired I fell half-asleep for a second!"

"In that case, I want you to go straight to bed after dinner. But no skipping out of brushing your teeth." She spoke sternly to him, as though reprimanding a child.

Lelouch responded "Understood!" In the back of his mind, though, he was still thinking. " _I've seen that bird before. But where...?_ "

* * *

"This is really good, Sayoko!" Nunnally smiled as she scooped up another spoonful of miso soup. Lelouch nodded in agreement as he rapidly snared helpless pieces of tofu by the score. He then tilted the bowl and inhaled the contents. Lelouch ladled another helping of the soup into his bowl.

Nunnally paused her eating. "Lelouch, are you getting another serving? That's the fifth bowl you've had tonight!"

Lelouch smiled in what could be described as a sheepish manner. "Yeah... I'm really hungry today, it would seem. I feel as though I haven't eaten all day!" While a large part of this voracity was from the very large amount of exercise that his very weak body had underwent that day, there was more to it. The emotional shock and the first uses of his Geass further increased his ravenousness, making him esurient as soon as he had smelt Sayoko's cooking.

Two bowls later, Lelouch was drinking a cup of gyokuro tea and massaging his now full stomach. "Ahh... Thank you for the food." He smiled contentedly at the maid of the household, who politely smiled back. As Sayoko got up to do dishes, he painstakingly got up to help.

This wasn't all too uncommon, as Lelouch had a secret fear that, should he grow too accustomed to having everything done for him, he would eventually end up no different than his overindulged family. However, the Japanese maid shot him a dangerous look. "Master Lelouch, I thought I told you to brush your teeth and go to bed. After all, you did fall asleep in the bathroom."

Nunnally giggled. "Really, Brother?"

Lelouch frowned in turn. "It wasn't really sleeping so much as... Dozing."

His little sister stifled her laugh. "Is that supposed to be a good excuse?"

* * *

The prince bid the household good night. Once he found himself under the warm covers of his bed, which seemed more comfortable and enjoyable than ever, he immediately felt his mind begin to shut down. In spite of how exciting the day was, Lelouch's mind couldn't continue on without having some much-needed rest. His eyes slowly yet steadily closed, and Lelouch found himself in the deep dark.

* * *

Alarm. Get up. Cold shower. Brush teeth. Dress. Breakfast. Pack. Brush teeth. School.

Lelouch awoke and followed the same routine as he did every school day for the last few years. An uninformed observer would argue that this morning was like any other. However, as Lelouch executed the traditional morning protocol, his mind wasn't nearly as bored as usual.

" _That... Was it a dream?_ " Lelouch frowned. It was a possibility, but everything was too realistic. He remembered how everything occurred. He had directly governed how everything flowed. His body was sore in certain places. Suzaku and that girl, C.C. dying...

Lelouch was fixated on the thought of it all being some strange dream. If it was a dream... Could it be considered a good or bad one? Or perhaps he finally had lost his mind and now was suffering from extreme delusions?

He decided that he couldn't just speculate or go and act weird in front of someone. As he brushed his teeth after breakfast, he decided to experiment. If his powers were dependent on visual contact, then he would just need to use something that was enough to see if his eye was shining. Looking down at the counter, which had some reflective properties from its rigorous cleaning, he decided. Lelouch turned off the light then looked down, he roused his Geass. Sure enough, he could see the vaguest shape glowing where his eye presumably was. This satisfied his curiosity, which gave him conflicting feelings of happiness and sadness.

* * *

" _I'll avenge all of you._ " He thought as he said goodbye to Nunnally and promised to be home in time for dinner. " _But that brings the question up again... Where have I seen the mark of Geass before?_ "

Once again, the Student Council was meeting early. This came as a great inconvenience to Lelouch, who was still feeling the effects of the prior day's adventure. Milly had apparently 'forgotten' to mention the fact that the semi-annual budget allocations were due the following day. If the Student Council didn't submit the reports on time, all of the clubs on campus would be unfunded for a full month before the process could reattempted.

This wasn't the first time this happened. Everyone knew the full pressure of completing the documents on time. On any other day, Lelouch would have worked with great zest to make sure that the past didn't repeat itself. However, he was just... so... tired...

* * *

"Wake up, Lelouch!" He found himself being hit by a roll of papers. "You were asleep just now! Your hand stopped moving!"

"So? You don't have to beat me up about it!" Lelouch stared accusingly at Milly Ashford, Student Council president and the granddaughter of Ruben Ashford, the man who gave Lelouch and his sister a place to stay.

"It's punishment for ditching me yesterday!" Rivalz smirked.

Shirley joined in, suspiciously glaring at Lelouch. "Yeah, that's right. What were you up to yesterday?"

Lelouch glanced away. "Uh, nothing..."

"All right, all right, all right! Let's not get off track here!" Milly took command, luckily for Lelouch, who hadn't put much thought into an excuse for his disappearance the prior day. "If we don't review the club budget now, there won't be a budget for anything, will there?"

Nina spoke quietly from the corner, her eyes locked on the spreadsheets on her computer. "And if that happens..."

Rivalz shrugged. "The Horseback Riding club will be pissed off at us! They'll come busting in here again!"

Milly frowned disapprovingly. "Rivalz, can't you take being a Student Council member a bit more seriously!"

Shirley came to her blue-haired friend's aid. "You should have reminded us about the deadline a day earlier!"

Rivalz just smiled. "I'd have preferred a day later. Then we'd have given up already."

Lelouch responded to his friend sarcastically, though his mannerisms suggested to the untrained eye that he was dead serious. "Good idea! For now, at least."

"GUTS!"

Everyone flinched excluding Nina, who was a safe distance away.

"Casting your 'Guts' spell again?" asked Lelouch.

"Yes!" She pointed a finger at him. "Don't you want to work harder now?"

Everyone excluding Lelouch, who was on the spotlight, made confused and/or exasperated expressions.

The prince spoke simply. "A fake spell like that will never work."

Ever the optimist, Shirley smiled and raised her hand. "I'll pretend it's working on me, Prez!"

"Good! A sound body leads to a sound mind, I see!"

"Well, we practice a lot, so..."

"That's not what I meant."

Rivalz was watching the two confer like it was a tennis match, while Lelouch was only barely listening.

"Huh?"

"You're impressive. I checked you out recently in the girl's bathroom. You're filling out nicely on the top and bottom, aren't you?"

Rivalz turned to look at what Milly was looking at, narrowing his eyes and raising his brows like a connoisseur. "Oh, ho?"

Shirley quickly crossed her arms and slightly turned away from them. "What are you talking about, you pervert?!"

Lelouch, at that moment, felt that God had forsaken humanity by inventing the horror known as adolescence. Once the conversation had been brought to that abrupt ending, the work was done in no time at all.

* * *

"I swear, the Prez is a completely dirty man on the inside! Just bending the conversation to her advantage like that!" Shirley was still fuming as she, Rivalz, and Nina left the room.

Lelouch smiled at that as he finished stacking up the papers and handing them to Milly. "Here you go, Ms. President."

"Thanks a lot, Lelouch!"

Lelouch picked up on his friends' conversation as he walked shortly behind them.

"Milly's always been like that, though." Nina smiled.

Rivalz laughed. "Well, we've finished the budget plan right on time, so let's not complain!"

"The terrorists used poison gas?!" The lighthearted conversation grounded to a halt with these sombering words. Three students were looking at pictures on one of their laptops. "That's scary! Shinjuku's only thirty minutes from here!"

"I saw it!" Another girl said. "There was smoke rising in the direction of Shinjuku! That must've been the poison gas!"

Lelouch walked up behind his friends and listened to the other student's conversation.

"Anything else on what's going on over there?"

Shirley turned to Lelouch. "Shinjuku?" Her voice was one of curiosity.

"I called you about it yesterday. I was hearing about it in real time from a friend of mine."

"Hey!" Another boy called out. "Check out the footage of those dead Elevens!"

"Ah! Don't look at them!"

Lelouch's eyes narrowed. " _Strange... Why would they hide the news about it?_ " Suddenly, he flashed back to the moment where he pulled the trigger on his brother. This thought brought up a wave of vomit, forcing him to run off to the bathroom.

* * *

After sufficiently clearing out the bile that arose from his disgust, he went to the sink and washed out his mouth and splashed his face. " _Are they hiding Clovis' death to guard against chaos? But if they do that, then when they announce it..._ " He turned off the water and looked up at the mirror. Regarding himself for a second, he chuckled at his weakness. "I'm a lot more sensitive than I thought..."

Walking back to class, Lelouch heard a happy cry from within the class.

"Kallen! It's been ages!"

"Are you okay?!"

"Sophia's been worried about you!"

"You're okay now?"

The girl at the center of the crowd nodded and spoke feebly. "Yes, but I can't strain myself."

Lelouch suddenly recalled seeing the girl the day before. " _Of course. I thought she looked familiar. She was the one who was piloting the glasgow, Q-1._ " He frowned. " _She's a student here, yet she's working with Japanese terrorists? Interesting._ "

As he sat down, he pondered this new development and whether it was helpful or harmful. He would have prefered that the entire terrorist plot be entirely separated from his _other_ alter ego, but this would also make it significantly easier to keep a track of her loyalty, if she agrees to he's been planning for the terrorist cell...

"What'cha lookin' at, my dear Lelouch?"

Lelouch ignored Rivalz. " _I know where this topic is going._ "

"Might you have a crush on her?"

" _Bingo. Congratulations, Rivalz. Perfect deduction._ " Lelouch didn't let any of his frustration crack his collected composure. "I'm just thinking that this is a rare event. She hasn't been here since the term started."

"Uh-huh... Are you sure you don't like her?"

Lelouch sighed and laid his head on his desk. He was ready for a nap.

* * *

World History went as slowly as ever. The most interesting thing that happened during class was when the girl, Kallen, answered a question. Lelouch paid special attention to everything from her mannerisms to her tone of voice whilst speaking. " _There's no doubt about it. The whole 'illness' is a front. She does a good job at maintaining an indisposed exterior, but the feebleness is excessive. Her breathing rate is fine, and her posture is that of a healthy athlete's._ " He chuckled to himself. " _As if the pink hair and the voice weren't enough of a giveaway._ "

The next class was Physical Education, which (though he prided himself with putting minimal effort in classes) was his worst class no matter how hard he tried. The class were given options for the day, and Lelouch chose the easiest one for himself: Running. Unfortunately, this still was far too much for his frail body to handle, and he had to stop several times to try and decrease the burning sensation from the lactic acid that was pumping through his bloodstream.

* * *

As Lelouch and Rivalz walked out into the fields, the latter asked about going out for a few card games before Lelouch vetoed it. He'd done enough gambling the prior day to last him awhile.

As they walked past the gaggle of girls surrounding Kallen, Lelouch glanced at the seemingly-weak girl. This wasn't lost on Rivalz, who cleared in his throat as though he were about to start to read a particularly elaborate piece of poetry. "Kallen Stadtfeld." He began. "They say she's sick or something. She barely showed up at school last year, either. Still, her grades are at the top of the class. And she's a member of the Stadtfeld family, which means she's well-bred and _rolling_ in money. Man, you sure have high standards!"

Lelouch sighed. "It's not like that."

"Ah! You don't have to hide it!" He frowned. "A touch too sheltered, if you ask me."

Lelouch began eating. "Whatever." He mumbled around his sandwich. "I couldn't care less."

They were joined by Nina shortly afterwards, who said a word of greeting before eating her own lunch. After wordlessly eating his food, Rivalz spoke. "Where's Prez and Shirley?"

Lelouch tilted his head. "I think Shirley is doing some last-minute practice for a race after school..."

Nina spoke, her face hidden by a large book she produced from her bag. "Milly said that she might be late because of a test."

Rivalz nodded. "Ah. I guess that makes sense."

Lelouch got up and waved as he walked away. There was no point in waiting for Milly since lunch was close to being done. Besides, he had some questions that needed to be answered.

Lelouch found the point of his inquiry amongst the scattering group of girls. " _What's going on?_ "

He then heard the cry. "Bee!"

" _Ah. Now then, since I have this convenient chance..._ "

He walked up to Ms. Stadtfeld, whose sleepy and enfeebled expression twisted into a look of frustration as she slapped the bee from the air. She didn't seem to notice Lelouch standing quite conspicuously near her as she growled. "God, I hate this! I hate pretending to be some invalid!" She then took an aggressive bite of her sandwich and turned. Her eyes went wide with fear as she stared at Lelouch regarding her.

Lelouch almost felt like laughing. This girl was like an open book, even without his Geass. " _There's no question it's her._ "

"Can-Can I help you with something?"

Lelouch kindled his power. "Answer my questions."

Kallen's eyes opened up fully, revealing red rings around her eyes. "Yes."

"Were you the pilot of that Glasgow in Shinjuku yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Why are you a terrorist?"

"Because I'm Japanese, although I am technically half-Britannian."

Lelouch was shocked. "A half-breed?... But why go that far?"

"Because my brother died while fighting for the Japanese, and I intend to finish the job."

Lelouch nodded once and relinquished his mind control. He carefully regarded the girl before him.

"Um... Did you want something?"

Lelouch turned away. "No. I'm through here..." He stopped and turned back. "Right. Just to be sure..." His Geass reawakened. "Don't say anything about what happened in Shinjuku."

"What do you mean in Shinjuku? What makes you mention that?"

Lelouch's face slackened. " _Huh?_ " He concentrated again and ordered "Return to the classroom."

"Only if you answer my question!"

" _It's not working? What's going on here?_ " Lelouch began backing away slowly. His mind was reeling as he tried to think of a solution to get him out of the hole he just dug. Just then...

"Lulu! Kallen!"

Lelouch spun around. Shirley was leaning out of a window, waving cheerfully at the two. " _An opportunity!_ " He thought. " _Even if she says nothing more, I could say that I need to talk to her about something. The likelihood of Kallen trying to stop me from leaving in front of someone else is minimal, given that she has an ounce of sense!_ "

Shirley continued on, still happy as a clam. "We have to go to the science prep room next! Get a move on!"

Lelouch dramatically slapped his head. "Crap! I've got to set up the experiment equipment!" He then ran off towards the building's entranceway. As he ran, he contemplated what had just happened. " _It didn't work? But..._ " He slowed to a walk once he began ascending the stairway inside. " _I haven't tried it before, but is it possible that it can only be used once?_ " Lelouch recalled when he had first agreed to the contract proposed by C.C. in the ghettos. After returning to reality, it felt like he had known about the power all his life, and he was able to activate it on a whim. But he had never truly tested its capabilities. Perhaps some experimentation was necessary...

* * *

During chemistry, Lelouch watched Kallen out of the corner of his eye, being careful to not let her or Rivalz see him when doing so. The last thing he needed was her suspicion of him growing or Rivalz spreading rumors. She was back to the 'sick girl' act, but her movements were much more smooth and healthy. " _She's smart, head-strong, and motivated..._ " He recalled her yelling from battle the preceding day. " _But she's allows her emotions far too much leeway._ " He smiled wickedly to himself. " _She will make an excellent puppet._ "

* * *

As drained as he was after class, Lelouch forced himself to walk alongside Rivalz and Shirley to the clubhouse, where Milly was holding a debriefing meeting and delivering a report on the school's total club budget. Though every year she said it would only take two hours, it once again took closer to four. As they took a short break before wrapping up the meeting, which Lelouch estimated would take at least another thirty minutes, he began banging his head against the table.

Shirley lifted her head off of a pile of papers on front of her and looked at him. "What's wrong, Lulu?"

Lelouch let his head fall one last time and turned his neck so he could look at her while not exerting any effort in holding his body up. "I forgot that I promised Nunnally that I would be home in time for dinner. They're both probably waiting for me to get home before eating."

Shirley smiled. "Don't make promises you can't keep!"

He groaned. "I know, I know. I just didn't remember."

Rivalz's head popped up from behind a stack of books. "Why don't you just call-"

"Alright, everyone! Enough of the chit-chat!" Milly called for attention. "This meeting isn't going to finish itself!"

Everyone groaned loudly. Shirley and Rivalz both slouched back onto the table, and even Nina, who usually expressed the bare minimum amount of emotion, sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly.

Rivalz began to protest, but it was futile. Milly slammed her hand down on the table, jostling everyone resting on it.

Lelouch couldn't bear listening any longer, so he began to think about the much more important things in his life. Firstly, there was the matter of Kallen. " _She probably suspects me now. But I wonder what happened. Could it be that I can only use Geass once? Do I need to wait some time before using it again? Or perhaps it's different from person to person? There's so many possibilities..._ " After that train of thought was inconclusive, he thought of his overall plan. " _What should I do with those terrorists?... They probably are suspicious of me, but I think that their leader has some faith in me. I just need to approach them in an open manner, yet still hold the upper hand. The only question is when to make the move..._ " He shook his head of his plotting. " _All in due time..._ "


	4. 4 - Zero Overture in C Sharp

Hello. This is a thing. Enjoy the thing.

Joking aside, there will now be far more viewpoints from this chapter onwards, so be sure to locate any 'A.T.B's, as you'll very likely be confused as I jump around time periods with little warning.

Another important thing is how characters are being written. As I did in my other fanfiction, I plan on modifying some characters,though likely not as severely as Sharpner in 'The Plight of Gohan'. As of right now, these are my planned changes:

C.C. is going to love pizza more than ever. The reason for this is that so Lelouch at least has some control of her. To be honest, I didn't like her character all too much. She's cynical as hell, annoying, and makes deliberate attempts to throw wrenches into some of Lelouch's plans, all based on her mere whims and fancies. Now, this in itself isn't unusual. I would expect as much from an immortal. However, the fact that she _wants_ Lelouch to live, yet deliberately causes scenarios that can threaten his plans, and thereby his life, is aggravating. It's so irrational it's painful. That is why Lelouch threatening her with pizza shortages will carry much more influence than ever before.

Cornelia is more loving towards her family. In the anime, we see her unlimited affection for Euphemia and the others, but her pride and anger overshadow this. I'm going to modify her character for it to be in equal parts.

Jeremiah... is pretty damn great. However, I'm going to make his whims far less prominent, and have him think logically.

Kallen is getting nerfed. I find the fact that she just has a 'natural affinity' that allows her to do what she can do ridiculous. Just being an 'ace' shouldn't be enough to make her automatically better. I don't think that she should even start out being as good as Suzaku, since the latter trained in martial arts since his childhood, served as a ground soldier in the military, _and_ was an ace. In this story, Kallen's going to have to actually work to earn her victories.

Shirley isn't going to be so passive. She's my current favorite out of the characters mentioned in this list, as her problem lies in the fact that she's underconfident, as opposed to the rest of these people.

*Sigh* Alright. I'm done ranting now. Enjoy.

4 - Zero Overture in C Sharp

" _The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting."_ \- Sun Tzu

Lelouch had a much shorter trip than the rest in getting home. All he needed to do was walk through a few short corridors and he was home free. As he opened the door with his key, he allowed himself a small, brief smile. He was able to see Nunnally now.

The fallen prince entered the living area to see Nunnally and Sayoko turned towards him expectantly. "I'm sorry I'm so late." He smiled.

"Welcome home, big brother!" Nunnally's cheerful tone immediately negated Lelouch's pent-up stress.

"Welcome home, master."

Lelouch inclined his head slightly. "I'm home, Nunnally. Sayoko."

"Sir, dinner is ready and waiting. I'll serve it to you now." The maid stood and gave a sharp bow, and almost immediately returned with a platter containing their meals. "I apologize, sir, but the vegetables may be a bit cooler than intended, since I prepared them some time ago..."

"It's no problem. It's my fault for being late. Thank you."

"Then if you don't mind, sir, I will be in the library."

"That's perfectly fine with me."

Sayoko gave another bow and walked away. Lelouch turned to the plate set before him and began cutting the filet mignon for Nunnally.

* * *

For some time it was peacefully quiet, then Nunnally spoke up. "Miss Sayoko was teaching me about origami. When you fold a piece of paper over and over, you can make birds and boats and all sorts of things!" She brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth, which spilt slightly in her haste. As she felt the liquid stream down her cheek, she frowned. "Oh..."

"You really don't need to talk so fast." Lelouch quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the droplet from her face. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Thank you, big brother." Nunnally smiled kindly.

"You're very welcome." Lelouch responded with an equal amount of warmth in his voice.

"... I'm glad."

Lelouch started when he heard Nunnally speak these words. " _What?_ "

"You sort of scared me last night."

"Did I? Sorry. I had something to think about." Lelouch looked down, once again recalling his murdering of their elder brother.

"So..." Nunnally's voice brought his mind back to the present. "They say if you fold a thousand cranes, your wish comes true. So, if you had anything to wish for...?"

"No. Not me." Lelouch said apologetically. Besides the painful death of their father and the brutal downfall of the Britannian Empire, Lelouch was content with his current life. He quickly returned to his original tone. "What about you, Nunnally? Do you wish for anything?"

Nunnally looked down thoughtfully for a few seconds. When she looked up, her face looked peaceful. "I wish the world was a gentle place."

Lelouch felt admiration at the selflessness of his little sister. "When you can see again, I'm sure it will be."

Nunnally leaned forwards. "Really?!" Her voice sounded like a child being told they were on Santa's 'Nice List'.

"I promise." Lelouch gave a short, solemn nod. " _That's right. There are many possibilities, but few of the futures that lay before us are actually good. While they protect us now, will the Ashfords always be there to help us? I'm sure that even our closest friends would abandon us if our identities were revealed. What's more, we would be thrown back into the world of politics as tools or prey._ " Lelouch rested his hand gently on Nunnally's, still thinking carefully. " _I have to make it. I must make a world where Nunnally can live happily. With this new power and attentive planning, I will...!_ " He stopped. Nunnally had taken his hand and positioned it so that his pinky finger was wrapped around hers. " _Huh?_ "

"She taught me this before. It's how Japanese people make a promise." She began to sing. "Cross my heart, hope to die, eat a thousand needles if I lie. I swear!" She giggled as she pulled her hand away.

Lelouch contemplated his still-extended pinky. " _I swear..._ " He looked up. "Now I'm scared! I may have to eat a thousand needles one day!"

Nunnally lifted her pinky. "That's right! So you'd better not be lying!"

"Don't worry, I'm not lying." He looked down darkly. " _Never to you, at least._ "

They ate their dinners quietly after that, Nunnally now being careful as she ate. It wasn't until Lelouch was almost finished that an unexpected question came to mind. "Nunnally...?"

"Yes, Brother?"

"I was just wondering... Do you ever want to go back to the Royal Family?"

Nunnally tilted her head and made a brooding hum. "... I don't know. I miss our brothers and sisters, like Euphie and Big Sister Cornelia, but as long as I'm with you and you're happy, I'd rather be here."

Lelouch felt a wave of relief wash over him. " _Thank goodness._ " He thought to himself. He had reached the conclusion earlier that they wouldn't reclaim their roles in royalty without consulting the one whose opinion he valued over his own.

"What about you?"

Lelouch looked at his sister. "Huh?"

"Do you ever want to go back?"

Lelouch felt simultaneous amusement and revulsion. " _Go back? To_ _ **that**_ _place? In a coffin, perhaps._ " But at the same time, Lelouch also felt nostalgia. He had many fond memories of playing not only with Schneizel, Clovis, Cornelia, and Euphemia, who were by far the closest siblings, but many others. Even the gentle yet dim-witted Odysseus and the conceited Guinevere had, at one point or another, entertained or watched over Lelouch.

But things had changed. He was no longer a carefree child that was blind to everything but the joys of utopia. He had seen terrible things that were the result of what that paradise was built on. And now that he was legally old enough to use the power that he had been born with, Lelouch and Nunnally would both be subjected to the fakeness and deception of those who wished to get a leg up in the social hierarchy. As enticing as the simple option may have been, Lelouch knew his answer was "No."

He explained more, though not revealing his full reasoning. "I also miss our siblings and the Arias Villa, but I don't want to go back to being a prince. I would miss all the friends that we've made here and the peace that we have now."

Nunnally nodded, but she was skeptical that what he said was the truth. She was, after all, _Lelouch's_ little sister after all. Not only was she intelligent, but years of having of having no eyesight made her hearing much more powerful than most. It was painfully obvious when Lelouch's voice changed ever so slightly, indicating internal conflict. However, Nunnally decided to not press him on his true feelings. After all, her brother always had good reasons.

* * *

He stayed up especially late that night, drawing out a costume for his terrorist personality. While Lelouch lacked the degree of artistic ability his elder brother had, he was decent enough. It also helped that he had been tossing ideas around for several years beforehand in his halfhearted plots of overthrowing the empire. All that was really required were a few adjustments.

After constant research and revision, Lelouch finally gave his design a scrupulous look, before sending it to Viscount Renfield, the man who Lelouch had substituted for in chess that very day for a favor, stretching as his computer showed the upload progress bar. It had just so happened that Renfield had a wide variety of connections from his younger days, and had been perfectly delighted to assist Lelouch. Of course, the man was so indebted to him that he had to oblige, though the order was quite detailed. Not only was Lelouch asking for a custom, top-quality outfit, but he was also looking for very advanced pieces of technology for headgear and unconventional circuitry for his gloves. After getting confirmation from the correspondent, he shut off his computer and climbed into bed.

* * *

That night, he had a harder time falling asleep than usual, in spite of being so thoroughly exhausted from his day. He lay still, looking at ceiling and thinking through his situation.

" _It's not too late to go back._ " A normally silent thought awoke. " _Nunnally would be safer in the Pendragon._ "

" _Then Clovis' death would have been for naught._ " echoed another.

" _They're nothing but overinflated cowards. They abuse the power that they're born with. She'll fall under their control._ "

" _Which is why they're so successful, isn't it? Isn't that what's important?_ "

" _Success doesn't automatically imply true strength._ "

" _Then what does?_ "

" _ **Enough.**_ " Lelouch gathered his thoughts, halting the conflicts emerging within his mind. " _I will change everything._ " He sighed. " _The real question is how one goes about overthrowing the world's ruling structure and protecting the ones they love?_ "

* * *

Lelouch dreamed of his old home, the Arias Villa. Everything was perfectly still. There were no princes or princesses frolicking in the gardens or servants working in the kitchens, no aristocrats talking politics or gardeners trimming the trees. Lelouch found himself slowly walking in the gallery, his footsteps echoing in the complete stillness. Each painting hanging on the wall was in crystal clear quality. He stopped to examine one of them. It was a piece made by Clovis at the age of twelve titled "Rapturous Red". Lelouch took in the painting, which portrayed a single, thorny rose resting in a simple, red vase. Leaning in, the eleventh prince examined every careful stroke, every meticulous blot and every cautious dab.

Without notice, Lelouch was standing in a green field. In the distance, Nunnally was waving from a wheelchair. He turned to see who it was that she was waving at, and turned to find two young children laughing and calling his sister's name. "Suzaku... Aren't you... Dead?"

The fallen prince of Britannia floated. Around him, reality was distorted and imperceptible. Space and time had no meaning. White and black both contrasted and blended. "Where... Where am I?" He willed himself to stop floating, and lo, his feet met solid ground. On an impulse, he looked up. The red-orange gas giant hung alone in the void. Lelouch walked towards it, defying all logic as he walked on nothingness with no gravity whatsoever pulling him towards the ground he had just been standing upon. Lelouch heard voices coming from within the planet that were both familiar and alien. Without warning, the planet began shrinking and fading, until there was nothing left but the void.

* * *

Lelouch awoke with his hand stretched towards the ceiling, where the mysterious planet had been. He frowned at this and examined the back of his hand as he kept it aloft. " _That's odd._ " The planet was from one of the mental images that had flashed in his mind as he signed the contract that granted him the Power of the King. " _What is that?_ "

He stared at his reflection in the tea as he gave it time to steep. Everything was absolutely quiet. Even Sayoko wasn't awake. He glanced at the clock. 4:48. On an average day, Lelouch wouldn't dream of being awake at this time, but he couldn't fall back asleep. He had had many nightmares before, and his most recent dream wouldn't even qualify as one, but it unnerved him nonetheless. More particularly, the planet in the abyss. He had a feeling that he had seen the planet before he had ever known about Geass, but he couldn't think of where it might be from. He blew once on his steaming drink and took a sip. Perfect.

After nearly ten minutes of quiet cognition, the prince changed his focus. " _There's only so many things that I can assume about Geass. However, with the terrorists..._ " He chuckled to himself. There were _many_ things he knew he could do with an insurgent cell. However, time was of the essence. Lelouch was sure that with every passing day, they were losing a small amount of the belief in the miracle he produced. What's more, every day was also another opportunity of being killed by Britannia's military.

* * *

Sayoko nearly screamed when she walked into the dining area and found Lelouch sitting fully dressed in his school uniform, silently staring at his tea cup. "Oh. Good morning, Sayoko."

"L-Lelouch!? Are you okay? Do you feel ill?" Sayoko rushed up to him and checked his temperature. "Is something the matter?!"

Lelouch chuckled. "Everything's fine, Sayoko. I just had a strange dream and couldn't go back to sleep."

Sayoko breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me, Master Lelouch. I don't think I've ever seen you up this early in all my time working for you."

"I don't think I've ever been awake this early in my life." He rubbed his eyes, then paused as the maid passed him. "Sayoko?"

"Yes, Master Lelouch?"

"Do you think I should take Nunnally back... To the Imperial Family?"

Sayoko thought for a moment before responding. "I don't know a lot about it, so I think it's entirely up to you, Master Lelouch. You certainly have more political knowledge that Master Nunnally and I combined, and I've never experienced what the nobility are like outside of the Ashfords."

Lelouch exhaled. "Nunnally and I were talking yesterday about life back at the Pendragon, and it sounded like she missed everyone. I'd also imagine that there's some treatment for her now that could at least help her..."

"But...?"

"... But it's been seven years since we were sent here. If I come crawling back now, there's no doubt that the emperor will be displeased with my insubordination, and he'll likely punish me for that. I can't guarantee that Nunnally will be exempted from his wrath. What's more, we'll be targets of both terrorists and nobility. We did a lot of powerful people a favor when we disappeared, and they likely won't be happy when we return to reclaim our positions in the royal family. There's so many problems I'm sure that I could handle alone, but I wouldn't be able to keep Nunnally completely safe." Lelouch took a deep breath. It wasn't often that he spoke like this, but growing worries and suspicions were making it hard to think about the more pressing matters.

Sayoko regarded her employer. His brow was furrowed and his eyes were narrowed. If she didn't know better, she would have rejected the idea that this teenager was a kind-hearted, loving brother. He seemed to be more of a military advisor, brooding over a tactical display of a battlefield. She sighed. "Lelouch, I know that you want Nunnally to be happy more than anything. However, you also have to consider the dangers, and it seems as though there are a lot of them. If Nunnally is leaving the decision in your hands, then it's up to you." She stopped herself, then continued. "My mind can't comprehend many of the possibilities that you're predicting, but I do know one thing. No matter which option you choose, Nunnally will want to be with _you_."

There was silence. Lelouch once again stared at his reflection in his tea. " _She's right. I have to make this decision... And I can't back out now. I've already promised myself and Nunnally that I would make this world a gentle place for her. It won't do to go running back, tail between my legs, begging for forgiveness. But I refuse to simply live the commoner's life and let the world continue as it is. I refuse these options. I have the Power of the King and my own knowledge, and I'll do whatever it takes to fulfill Nunnally's wish._ "

He looked back up to his waiting servant. "Thank you, Sayoko. I needed that."

* * *

The prince was tempted to go back to bed and skip school, but he remembered that he still had some matters to attend to. First and foremost, he needed to experiment with his Geass. It wouldn't do to have it not working in situations far more critical than his conversation with Ms. Stadtfeld. This led him to his second problem. That girl was now suspicious of him and was a threat to his cover. He needed to deal with her and the sooner, the better.

Lelouch idled near the school stream for awhile. It wasn't long before his history teacher passed by.

"Lelouch! Class will be starting soon."

"Oh, of course!" He focused, and felt his eye tingle. "Sir, could you tell me what questions will be on the exam essay?"

His teacher stopped. "They'll cover the 'Humiliation of Edinburgh', 'The Transfer of the Capitol to the New World', and the 'North-South War'."

Lelouch nodded. " _So I haven't lost this power after all?_ "

His teacher awoke from his trance and blinked.

"Sir, could you tell me what questions will be on our essay exam?" Lelouch said, restarting his Geass as he did.

His teacher gave him a frown and began walking away. "Quit joking around study seriously! You're a smart boy. You can handle it if you make the effort!"

"Okay!" Lelouch said, watching him leave. He smiled sinisterly. " _As I thought, it can only work on a person once. This is a mild hinderance, but I can manage._ "

He didn't stop with his teacher. Approaching a boy who was carrying a laptop, he stared at his target's eyes. "Give me your computer."

The younger teen seemed to stiffen, then held out his computer to Lelouch. Lelouch grabbed it out of his hands and dropped them back in them. "Thank you." He said, leaving the boy to blink in confusion as he tried to remember what he was doing.

Lelouch slowly built up more and more parameters as he continued experimenting, often doing multiple trials to see if they were sound guidelines. From several distance tests, he realized that the person he was Geassing didn't need to hear them, but they did need to have eye contact.

Another test showed that language barriers posed no problems as he used his power while speaking Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, German, Latin, Italian, or French.

Finally, the Geass would not take effect if the person he was using it on couldn't perform the task requested. However, Geass could enhance people's capabilities, as demonstrated by a series of assessments that showed that students could solve complex math problems that usually couldn't be done mentally, recall incredibly old memories in perfect detail, or be able to draw amazingly. However, this consistently led to headaches subsequent to being mentally freed.

The one consistent restraint was that it could only be used once, which he verified by attempting to use his Geass from a distance on Kallen and his teacher, both of which showed no effects.

* * *

Lelouch was especially cautious around Kallen in class. At the same time, he could read her body language and knew that she too was being careful around him. When he stood to half-heartedly answer the question his teacher posed, he noted Kallen's stare from her makeup bag's mirror. As he sat down, he gave a short glance in her direction to see her quickly snap the bag shut.

" _It's just as I predicted. She's unsure right now, but she's making the connection. All I gave her was knowledge I know about Shinjuku. However..._ _If she knows who I really am, then I need to take care of her as soon as possible_."

* * *

He ignored the rest of the lesson (as usual) and focused on solving the red-haired problem. He was so deep in thought that he failed to notice Shirley standing behind him once class had ended. "Lulu, we're about to head over to-"

The sixteenth heir to the throne cut his friend off. "Sorry, maybe next time."

He walked down the aisle to where Kallen was surrounded by her friends. He walked into their presence, his calm yet powerful demeanor drastically altering the atmosphere. "Could you come with me, please? I'd like to talk with you for a moment."

Everyone, save Kallen, made an 'Eh?' noise. It was unusual for Lelouch to take particular interest in anyone outside of the Student Council.

Kallen calmly regarded him for a few seconds before standing, her stare never wavering. "Yes. I was expecting you'd ask me to."

The two walked silently for some time, Lelouch leading the way. He felt Kallen's gaze on the back of his head, but didn't speak. It was only after they had entered the Student Government Building that she spoke.

"I didn't know there was a building like this on campus." She said.

"It's the clubhouse for the student council. They built it as a ballroom for special occasions."

"So we won't be disturbed here?" She stared at him dead in the eye, her true meaning quite evident.

"Correct." Lelouch didn't back down. While this woman possessed physical strength that was magnitudes beyond him, he refused to back down. If she valued the continued victory of his group, then she wouldn't dare attack the one that she suspected turned the battle against the single most formidable military power in the nation. If she kept his skills and the survival of her extremist cell, then she wouldn't try and silence him.

The two were locked in silent conflict, each standing perfectly still. They were testing their opponent's will. Whoever showed weakness was the loser. While there was no clear objective to this, they both suspected it would change the long term outcome of any discussion.

Unfortunately, no winner was decided. They both showed surprise as the ever-cheerful Shirley cried out "There it is!"

Lelouch and Kallen turned to see the orange-haired girl looking towards someone hidden from their view, her hand holding a small computer chip into the air.

She continued yelling. "Found it! Found it! Look, it's this, right?!"

Nina came into their view, her face displaying pronounced relief. "Ah, that's it! The experiment data!"

Rivalz popped into their view from behind the railing. "Ow... My back hurts."

To top it all off, Milly appeared, doors sliding away to reveal her wearing an apron and pushing what appeared to be a small feast on wheels. "Did you find it?" She called out. "I'm through on my end, so why don't we start?"

"Whoa, amazing!" said Rivalz.

"Way to go, Milly!" cheered Shirley.

"..." remarked Nina, acting as she always did.

The Student Council overhead praised Milly's efforts, leading the boisterous blonde to chuckle delightedly as she unloaded the plates of food from the cart onto the tables. "Compliment me more!"

Lelouch took advantage of the brief pause to gain his bearings, despite being not a stone's throw away from his own house. "Umm... What's going on?"

Milly turned to him. "Didn't you bring her here because you knew? It's because we're letting Kallen join the Student Council. My grandfather asked us to."

"The principal did?" Lelouch leaned forwards. While the terrorist standing next to him did have a rather large inheritance going for her, it still didn't warrant the attention of Ruben Ashford.

"Yeah. He said it would be hard for her to participate in any clubs because of her health problems... Oh! I'm Milly Ashford, the council president! How are you?"

Kallen jumped. It was apparent that she was now involved in the conversation. "Oh! Um, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

The rest of the team quickly ran over to get their introductions in. "I'm Rivalz, the secretary." The blue-haired boy smiled at her kind-heartedly. "If there's anything that you don't understand, feel free to ask."

The one who had found the chip earlier went next. "I'm Shirley! I'm also on the swim team. How do you do?"

That left the spectacled brunette, who anxiously looked the floor and fidgeted nervously. "And... I'm... Nina."

Kallen greeted the last girl kindly and was about to do the same to the others when her attention was drawn to behind them. A girl carrying a tray of desserts slowly moved her motorized wheelchair towards the group.

As she drew closer, Kallen saw that the girl's eyes were closed. The girl spoke, a small pout on her face as she called out blindly. "Shirley? Do you think you can put this on the table for me?"

Shirley turned and smiled. "Sure! Thanks, Nunna!"

Lelouch frowned. "You too, Nunnally?"

No one paid him any attention as Milly turned to the half-blooded Britannian. "This is Lelouch's little sister."

Nunnally spoke. "I'm in the middle school group, so I can't be on the council yet."

Rivalz smiled a silly grin. "That's fine! You're an honorary member in our book!"

Nunnally turned to the new Student Council member, a gentle smile gracing her face. "Hello there. It's a pleasure to meet you, Kallen."

Kallen smiled. "It's a pleasure for me as well."

Rivalz set down a bottle on the table with a loud 'thunk', smiling at the expensive bottle of champagne that was grasped in his hand. "Right!" He began. "Shall we kick this off with a toast?" Every leaned in to see the label 'Noët & Chanbon' to confirm that what he was carrying was, in fact, alcohol.

Shirley was the first to react. "Huh? Champagne?!"

Nina, skittish as ever, quickly attempted to voice the rules. "Yeah, we're on the student council. We shouldn't!"

Rivalz plowed forwards, preparing to pop open the top. "Aw, c'mon you guys! Loosen up a little!" He began chuckling mirthfully, but was quickly stopped by Shirley.

"No! We aren't allowed to drink that!" Shirley quickly grabbed hold of the bottle and attempted to wrest the bottle from Rivalz. Nina covered her ears and ducked out of the way, while Milly handed Nunnally a glass of orange juice and thought about getting some popcorn for the show.

Rivalz -who was only barely keeping ahold of the bottle against the exercise nut he was battling against- called out to Lelouch. "Lelouch, pass!"

Lelouch, who couldn't have cared less about the ultimate outcome, found himself suddenly involved in the battle as the French champagne came flying towards him. "Eh?"

Shirley pushed Rivalz aside and charged at Lelouch, leaving him no time to defend himself. "Oh, for heaven's sake!" She cried, desperately grabbing at the bottle. "You aren't getting away with this either, Lelouch!" Unfortunately, she over reached and found herself falling on top of her crush.

"What? Wait! Shirl-ah!"

Kallen saw the dislodged cork flying at her and broke character to slap it out of the air. Unfortunately, she couldn't do the same thing to the champagne that came showering down on her head. The whole student council froze (with Rivalz's face being stuck in a state of comedic disappointment) and watched as around half of the bottle's contents emptied onto Kallen's head.

After they all unfroze, they gathered their wits and addressed the issue, first by apologizing to Kallen, then cleaning up the mess. Shirley and Milly led Kallen to a shower and took her clothes to the campus washing building. Lelouch and Rivalz, in the meantime, quickly took the steps necessary to ensure no staining would occur on the expensive carpet.

* * *

"I still don't get how those two got it into their heads that I'm the one to blame here." Lelouch grumbled as he wrung a towel into the bucket and scrubbed alongside Rivalz.

"Aw, Lelouch! Don't you go siding with them too!" Rivalz groaned, having already received a severe talking to from Milly in regards to on-campus etiquette. "Don't pretend like it wouldn't have been fun!"

Lelouch smirked. "Of course, but we both know that 'having fun' isn't the point of school. Besides, I wouldn't have had any. I tend to avoid alcohol when possible." Lelouch recalled his days in the Pendragon, where many members of nobility were stripped of their titles as a result of their actions after drinking too much fine liquor. It was those times that Lelouch recalled whenever presented with the opportunity to drink.

Lelouch was later charged with the job of bringing clothes to Kallen and "apologizing profusely for your impolite behavior" (in the words of Shirley). Despite Lelouch's brain power, he couldn't perceive how he could be interpreted as the bad guy in the situation. However, he realized as he looked for Sayoko that he could easily turn this to his advantage. All he needed was a carefully planned recording and the help of Geass, and he would be able to entirely remove Kallen's suspicions of him.

* * *

Sayoko's eyes took on a red hue as she stood still in the middle of the room, holding the recording and the phone.

Lelouch walked up to the door where he heard water running. He took a deep breath. If he played his cards right, she probably wouldn't kill him. Then again, if she herself made a slip-up, she would try to eliminate him as a witness. He took another breath. " _It's no matter. She's not half as cunning as Schneizel is, and I doubt she could hold her own in the royal court. While she may be skilled in fighting, she can't hope to compete with my ability to banter._ "

He knocked on the door. He heard a noise of surprise from behind the door.

"It's Lelouch." He said calmly. "I brought a change of clothes."

"It's fine. The shower curtain's closed."

Lelouch strode in and was caught by surprise when he saw his classmate's naked silhouette in the shower. He glanced away, surprised that in spite of all the mental preparation he had made, she still managed to catch him off guard, though less with her mind, and more with her body. "Sorry about this." He spoke, carefully averting his eyes. "They can be a bit lively at times."

"It's nothing. It's fine to have a little fun every once awhile."

"Do you mind if you change into some of my clothes for now?"

"Don't worry about it. That was fast, though. You went all the way to the boys' dorms and back?"

Lelouch felt the urge to smile. They were both pushing each other's boundaries, trying to figure out how much the other one knew. "I live here." He uttered, leaning against the sink. The girl make a sound of curiosity at this, which effectively cleared the last conditions of this battle. " _She knows I'm here, and if I can keep buying time, she'll have direct proof that I'm not the voice on the radio._ " He continued. "It would be difficult to keep Nunnally in the dormitories. The school principal let's us stay here as a favor."

"I see..." Kallen's voice indicated that she was deep in thought, which Lelouch took advantage of.

"Well, anyway..." He turned to walk away, taking deliberately slow steps as he waited for her curiosity to get the better of her.

Kallen shouted "Wait!" Lelouch turned, quickly checking the time as he did so. " _Prerequisites have been met, Kallen. I look forward to working with you while you have no idea who I am._ "

"Can you hand me that pouch right there?"

"Sure." Lelouch was unsure of what she was planning, but wasn't all too concerned. He grabbed the pouch and cautiously held it into the shower. However, Kallen seemed to have other plans. Her hand smacked the pink bag out of his hand and tightly grabbed his wrist. Lelouch smirked. "You're livelier than I expected." He commented dryly.

Kallen took no time to repartee. "Were you in Shinjuku on that day?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play dumb. Why did you mention Shinjuku?"

"Is there something wrong with Shinjuku?"

"Don't answer my question with a question! Is the answer yes or no?! I don't want to hear anything else!"

The phone rang, right on schedule. Lelouch willed himself not to sigh in relief. " _She clearly has no sense of subtlety._ " He thought. " _Then again, she didn't grow up in the Pendragon._ "

He heard Kallen give a groan in frustration.

"If I don't answer it," Lelouch warned "then someone will come. Alright?" He reached and grabbed the phone. "Hello. Ashford Academy Student Council." He gave a short pause, pretending to listen to someone on the other line, then spoke again. "No. I'm... Oh." He turned away from the phone. "It's for you." He felt Kallen's grip slacken dramatically. "He says you'll know him if you talk to him."

The red-head took the phone. "Hello." Lelouch felt a leap of elation as she gasped. Everything had gone according to plan. Sayoko, under the effects of Geass, played the recording as soon as a female voice was heard over the line. Until Kallen figured that out, he had won.

"Who are you?! How did you arrange that cease-fire order?! Oi! Don't hang up!" Kallen growled in frustration.

He forced himself to sound oblivious as he spoke. "What do you mean 'cease-fire order'?" Not waiting for Kallen's response, he continued. "It sounds like you have some dangerous friends."

"Uh! Well... That was just..."

"Shall I guess? It's about a game, right? On the internet?"

"Uh... Yeah! That's it! Because I've been shut up in my house." She relinquished his arm slowly, her resolve obviously no more.

" _And now, the finale."_ He rubbed his arm to get the circulation flowing. "That's why I warned you before. That bit about how you shouldn't talk about Shinjuku. There are people who'd intentionally show you footage of that stuff." He pretended to act embarrassed. "By the way... I can see you."

Kallen gasped and quickly closed the curtains.

* * *

"Uh... I won't tell anyone. Anyways, I'll see you later." He walked outside, not bothering to hide the malicious smirk on his face. There was now no basis for her to suspect him. While she may now think of him as strange and potentially perverted, she was longer an actual bother to him.

After relieving his ever-dutiful maid of the recording, he went back to where Kallen had been showering. After confirming that she was actually wearing clothes this time around, he requested permission to give her a tour of the school. Though she had been evidently embarrassed by her indecency of grabbing him and him seeing her nude, he ignored her emotions and launched his 'tour guide mode'.

They had walked around the building awhile before returning to the main ballroom.

"Big Brother, it's terrible!"

"What is it?" Lelouch was perturbed by his sister's tone.

Milly turned. "Prince Clovis has died!"

Rivalz followed. "They say he was killed!"

Lelouch was only shocked that they took so long to release the news, but he still pretended to act surprised.

On the television screen, Jeremiah Gottwald, whose voice Lelouch recognized from Shinjuku, spoke. "Prince Clovis has passed away! While fighting for peace and justice against Elevens, he died a martyr! His actions shall not be forgotten!"

Lelouch resisted rolling his eyes. Of course they said this. With Clovis dead, the power now rested with Margrave Jeremiah, whose authority was the greatest in all of Area Eleven. This intrinsically meant that all administrative power laid with the Alliance of Pureblood Vitality, more commonly referred to as the Purist Faction, or Purebloods. As a collective, they thrived off of abusing Numbers.

The turquoise-haired man continued. "We must all push down our sorrow and carry on his will!"

The audio switched to the newscaster. "We've just received new information." "The man suspected of the murder has been captured." The screen zoomed out to briefly show the announcer, with a small picture of Clovis in his full glory, before his image faded to a video of a person in white being pushed and pulled by military personnel. "According to the report, the man is an Honorary Britannian. The suspect is a former Eleven." A closeup shot of Lelouch's best friend filled the screen. "Honorary Britannian Suzaku Kururugi."

" _How can this be?! I saw him get shot in the back with my own eyes! Could this be some sick dream?_ " Lelouch pinched himself and found that it was no dream. His best friend was being set up to die by the same people who already killed him.

* * *

Lelouch wasted no time after putting Nunnally to bed. He quickly called Viscount Renfield and scheduled a quick meeting regarding the outfit he had ordered. After taking a taxi to the cityscape residence, Lelouch used his Geass on the Viscount to make sure that his ensemble was near completion, and commanded the unwitting nobleman the to destroy all traces of the order and forget it himself. Lelouch then went to the people who were in the process of working on the more notable pieces of his outfit and used similar orders on them.

Everything was going according to plan. While he wished he didn't have to test the terrorists' loyalty so early, this gave him ample opportunity to execute yet another miracle, this time before the world's eyes. He already had a plan in the works, one so blatantly bold that he didn't want to consider the first couple attempts, before ultimately resigning himself to the fact that this plan, however daring, was still the best option. In fact, the success of this operation heavily depended on its audaciousness.

However, he wouldn't be stupid. This wasn't a situation where one could simply shoot a few bullets and hope to hit the right people. It was impossible for a group as small as the one Lelouch had commandeered to rationally hope to compete in what the Britannian Empire did best. " _No. Instead, I'm going to give the world a show that it will never forget. I will face the might of the military on international news and steal Suzaku without firing a single bullet. This is the debut of my mask, and it will be one that will one that no one forgets._ "

* * *

Seven hybrids of tanks and knightmares fired relentlessly at the caped sutherland that had broken away from its pack. Normally, their relatively formidable firepower made their enemies at least consider a strategy of attack, but their opponent didn't hesitate. It weaved through their lines of fire as though it wasn't there at all. As the pilots began to slowly but steadily make for a retreat, the caped knightmare swooped in for the kill.

Cornelia growled as the last bamides exploded at the end of her lance. The dull pain she felt in her body showed no sign of going away, despite having achieved a great victory in far less time than usual. Nothing seemed to be able to quell her grief and anger.

Cornelia li Britannia was not one that people sought to make enemies with. While she didn't have the natural charisma of Clovis and Euphemia, lacked the cunning manipulative skills of Guinevere, and was far from reaching the brilliance of Schneizel and Lelouch, she was still widely feared and revered throughout the world. What separated Cornelia from her siblings was her unwavering resolve. That, coupled with her fiery temper and intense protectiveness of her family (the ones she liked, at least) made her a force to be reckoned with.

Clovis may not have been the closest of her relatives, but he still was family to her. He had always been so cheerful, so upbeat, that the thought of his never ending optimism being rewarded with an early death made her sick. This was the third sibling that Area 11 had taken from her. While she wasn't quite as depressed as she had been the last time, her anger towards the numbers that dared to steal the ones she held dear had been rekindled and fueled to a greater intensity than ever. It was with great misfortune that these soldiers of the Middle Eastern Federation had to face her on this particular day. While her wrath did lead to her taking greater risks, the heightened emotions allowed her to operate her knightmare with more ease than ever.

After a long day, Cornelia found herself back at her desk, her two favorite soldiers standing on either side of the door. She stared at the documents before her, which were pushing for shifting funds away from energy fillers and instead focusing on the improvement of the currently deployed sutherland's land spinners. However, she couldn't get herself to read the words. No matter how hard she tried, the princess continuously found herself thinking of her late siblings. She stood abruptly. "I can't concentrate right now." she announced to her knight and captain of the guard. "I'll be in my private quarters if you need me. You're both dismissed."

After escorting her to her room a short distance away, her two most trusted subordinates, Guilford and Darlton, both gave a short bow to the princess before Darlton closed the door gently behind them, leaving Cornelia to be alone with her thoughts. As she paced the room, the 'Goddess of Victory' felt herself begin to have tears watering her eyes.

" _It isn't fair._ " she thought angrily. " _Lelouch and Nunnally were little more than children. And Clovis was always talking about the programs he was putting on to support those ingrateful Elevens living outside of the Settlement. None of them deserved to be killed._ " She swiped the tears from her eyes and reached down to grab a briefcase stuffed under her bed. After sitting on her bed, she spun the dial to unlock the case. She paused resting her hand on the cool surface, before opening it. Inside, some ceremonial uniforms were neatly folded. Carefully lifting out said clothes, she looked underneath. There, resting next to a small drawing by a five year-old Euphie, was a small, framed photograph.

It had been one of the last days that the Lelouch and Nunnally were in Pendragon. Euphie had declared that she was going to a picnic at the Arias Villa, and proceeded to try to help the maid pack for "the best lunch ever". Cornelia, wanting to speak to Empress Marianne about her new knowledge of military history, decided to tag along. Before she left, her butler recommended that she brought along a camera, which had ultimately led to the scene that lay before her. Lelouch was struggling and scowling as Nunnally and Euphemia were hugging (pinning) him by his arms, Clovis laughing and ruffling Lelouch's hair from behind his younger siblings. The four lay on top of a large, woven quilt, with the famed gardens of Arias in the background. Not one of them knew of the terrorist attack that would transpire less than a week afterwards, and the aftermath that would inevitably lead to the extinction of the Vi Britannia family.

A teardrop fell onto the painting. Cornelia wiped her cheek as she took deep, soothing breaths. Out of all of her siblings, the vi Britannia siblings had tied for second as her favorite relatives. There had been so much life in them. But now, they were gone. And whoever was responsible were going to pay dearly. Of course... There was the emperor, who had sent them to their deaths, but that wasn't someone who she could easily address. Her father's choice to send their siblings on a vacation to an imminent battlefield was far more than questionable, but if Euphemia was to remain safe, then Cornelia wouldn't dream of scrutinizing His Majesty's choices. Regardless, there were still the Elevens out there that had killed her siblings, two of which having been her favorite. " _Yes. I'll make them wish that they could die. I'll make their lives worse than anything hell conceive, and when I'm done, I'll kill them myself._ "

Very few had the nerve to mess with Cornelia.

The phone rang, causing Cornelia to hurriedly wipe at her face and clear her voice. Weakness such as the emotions she was feeling were not allowed in a position such as hers. She walked up to the phone and took a deep breath.

"General li Britannia speaking."

A cool voice sounded on the other end of the phone. "Hello, Dear Sister."

"Schneizel. Hello. Why are you calling?"

Schneizel el Britannia chuckled softly, shuffling through some of the European Union's more confidential documents. "So impolite, Cornelia. Are you really so desperate to mask the fact that you've been crying?"

Cornelia paled. How could he have known that? "I-I wasn't- Is there something that you require of me, Prime Minister?"

Schneizel stopped his light-hearted banter and switched to a much more formal tone. "As a matter of fact, there is. You see, with the passing of Brother Clovis, we have an interesting predicament. Despite being such an economically critical territory, Area Eleven now has no viceroy, and there's only a few people who are willing to take his place, as they fear that if Clovis could be killed by the locals, then the next viceroy can too."

"So what you're saying is...?"

"I would like you to take charge of Area Eleven once you meet the 65% objective in the MEF campaign. Not only would it secure my peace of mind of your actions, but it would also send a message that the Royal Family isn't afraid of the actions of terrorists." he paused, and allowed a small, sad smile to grace his lips. "Of course, a large factor in this choice was also that I knew that you wouldn't be able to rest unless you could destroy the rebels with your own two hands."

"I understand." Cornelia nodded, a new light appearing on the horizon. "I accept. That is, if I get approved."

"Father has already designated you as his first choice and Duke Manchester as his second choice."

"You... You went behind my back and applied on my behalf?!"

"I wouldn't have wanted to give false hope to you, sister. That's all for now, I'll give you more details once you secure the region. I don't want your mind to be wandering on the battlefield."

"Understood. And one more thing..."

"Yes?"

"I want to take Euphie with me. I want her to be my sub-viceroy, so she may get experience in politics."

"I'm sure the emperor will find that acceptable. Is that all?"

"That's all."

"Well then, I bid you farewell, Sister."

Cornelia set the phone down and cast a glance at the photo she'd been crying over. She now had an opportunity to avenge her fallen siblings.

* * *

When the exiled prince arrived at school the following day, the student body was redirected to the auditorium. There, the school's vice principal spoke to the school about the 'tragic' death of their 'beloved' viceroy. Lelouch had a hard time containing his mordant grin in the solemn ceremony. Here he stood, surrounded by worried commoners, troubled soon-to-be-soldiers, anxious blue-bloods, and one terrorist. Never mind the fact that it had been he, the eleventh prince, who had pulled the trigger. He glanced out the window, where birds were flying off in the bright sunlight.

The speech delivered by the vice principal lasted for two more minutes until he began giving a brief overview of the school's agenda for the upcoming month. Afterwards, Milly, who was taking the place of her traveling grandfather, bounded up to the podium after the vice principal's speech, cleared her throat, and all but yelled a single word, "DISMIIIISSSSED!"

As they were filing out of the auditorium, Lelouch found Shirley with Rivalz. As he reached them, Rivalz paused, realizing that Milly was still in the auditorium and said "I'll catch up with you guys later!"

"Lulu, what do you think about the death of Prince Clovis? It's sad, isn't it?"

"I think so, but I find it hard to believe that Suza-an Honorary Britannian could just kill the Viceroy. I don't believe that he's the one who did it."

"Huh? It was a rather strange... Why would they lie, though?"

"Did you notice how all the soldiers at the announcement of Clovis' death were Purebloods?"

"Purebloods?"

"It's the title of people who conform to what is called the 'Untainted Ideology.' They say that only pureblood Britannians should serve in the Britannian military. According to them, the guilty party can't be from the Britannian military. But if the culprit was an Eleven, then the Honorary Britannian system will be shut down in Area Eleven, which is the main goal of the Purebloods."

"That's horrible!" Shirley brought a hand to her mouth.

Lelouch gave her a quick glance. " _That's right... Most Britannians honestly believe that being an honorary Britannian was better than the alternative, don't they?_ "

Shirley frowned, and looked as though she was going to ask more when a wild secretary appeared.

Rivalz laid a gentle hand on his best friend's shoulder, subtly pulling on him."Lelouch, are you busy later? We shouldn't waste a day off from classes, and people have been asking for a rematch..." His voice conveyed his excitement from the prospect of profit.

"Don't you dare go gambling!" Shirley glared at Rivalz, making him squirm with her strict denial being directed towards him.

"Hey! Give me a break!"

"She's right." Both his friends turned to him with their eyes widened. "I'm through with that, at least for the time being.."

"HUH?!" Rivalz looked horrified and Shirley looking ecstatic.

"I've found a better opponent."

"What? What do you mean?" Shirley was now both curious and afraid.

"Then let me in on it, too!" Rivalz, on the other hand, was curious _and_ joyful.

Lelouch chuckled. "You'd better not. It's not your sort of game."

The three adjourned when Milly ran up and berated them for not helping. Shirley and Rivalz took a defensive stance, and by the time they attempted shifting the blame to Lelouch, he was already gone.

* * *

Lelouch took another trip to Renfield's skyrise residence and acquired the briefcase that contained his completed masterpiece. Returning home, he carefully locked his door and tried on the outfit. It was perfect.

" _Perhaps a bit snug in the chest area, but the rest of my measurements are spot-on._ " he mused. He stood before a mirror and looked at the full outfit.

It was perfect. The entire outfit had been based upon a name that Schneizel had taken to calling his younger sibling after years of playing the dark pieces: 'The Black Prince'.

Indeed, he did appear to personify the black king piece he had fiddled with so often.

The cloak was black on the exterior, red on the interior, and had gold trim lining it. It fastened over his right shoulder and was capable of wrapping around Lelouch like a cocoon. It also incorporated one of his ancestor's like of upturned collars. The fashion statement had arisen from Joanna re Britannia, the Second Empress of the Ninetieth Emperor, who boldly proclaimed that her influence was of such an extent that she didn't need to bother worrying about being assassinated from behind. It was because of this that very few members of the Royal Family -and even fewer of nobility- wore such clothing. It wasn't just fabric. It was a challenge.

The suit beneath his cape had an equal amount of effort put into it. The violet shirt and pants with the same gold trim as his cloak were designed to allow free movement of his limbs. A pure white ascot tie wrapped around his neck, contrasting with the outfit's overall dark colors.

His mask, however, was Lelouch's favorite. The symbol of Geass was stretched across the bottom of his mask, and the shatterproof glass that protected his face allowed Lelouch to see out perfectly without anyone able to see in. Short but sharp spikes protruded outwards, which gave the trained observer the impression of a king piece.

However impressive his fashion design skills were, the amount of technology he had managed to integrate with his attire was even more so. His gloves, connected with the helmet via short-distance radio waves, sent a signal to the helmet every time he pressed and held his index finger to his thumb, which would complete a circuit. The helmet would then use a newly-designed 'slide system', a state of the art system that had been designed for extremely precise manufacturing processes, such as the preparation of solid sakuradite. In this case, however, it would open up a hole for Lelouch to Geass anything standing in his way. The helmet also included a voice modulator, making it more convenient for Lelouch to speak without worrying about his voice being tracked.

Lelouch began building the environment for his meeting with his terrorists about an hour early. It was fortunate for him that classes had been cancelled for the day, as it gave him more time to plan the sequence of events that were to follow. Of course, once his schemes were laid out, they were rather simple to execute. What once would have taken large sums of cash now could be substituted with a simple command, and it was far more foolproof at that.

While some aspects of his 'tour' were easier than others, there were still many difficult variables. Security personnel and cameras were quite easily dealt with, but the people coming and going were an entirely different story. As soon as any Japanese set foot inside a symbolic site such as Tokyo Tower, every civilian would likely feel threatened and may go as far as calling the police. This meant that Lelouch would have to control the majority of the visitors, which was achieved by having the security accommodate for a lower maximum capacity, then Geassing the individuals inside the building so that they would make no mention of any suspicious Japanese in the area.

Another problem was convincing the terrorists to even join him, so he thought of every logical objection that they come up with. Of course... There was that one pawn that had seemed to enjoy arguing over anything with anyone. But no plan could ever be truly idiot-proof. Tamaki sneezed loudly.

* * *

The resistance members showed up at around 3:49. While Lelouch was initially miffed by the fact that there were only four including Kallen, he chided himself. For all he knew, they had volunteered to go as acting representatives for their group. Lelouch smiled, a king piece spinning between his fingers as he regarded the figures wandering cautiously in the gallery. " _Now... Let the games commence!_ "

Being completely honest with himself, Lelouch found that he enjoyed being so aloof in his brief commands to Kallen. It was unlike anything he had done before. It was an irrational pleasure, but moving people with suggestions instead of commands was a fun game. Operating from the shadows... He could certainly get used to it.

The four terrorists made their way to the front of the train. So far, they had proved themselves determined, straightforward, and willing to give Britannia a run for its money. Now, as they drew closer, Lelouch felt the gravity of the situation. It would be this meeting that would determine his plans, for better or for worse. And the price for failing in this endeavour would be the shameful death of his boyhood friend. However, the profit of succeeding drew him one step closer to the man called 'Charles zi Britannia'.

This was true gambling.

Lelouch heard the door behind him slide open. He had gave extremely explicit instructions to the passengers not to enter his room. That only left the logical conclusion that his terrorist acquaintances had finally come out to play.

"Was it you?" Kallen's voice was accompanied by the sound of the door opening and more footsteps.

One of the other terrorists, standing besides the one they called their leader, whispered uneasily. "This was a trap, wasn't it?"

"Hey!" Kallen's voice scarcely veiled the curiosity that she had been feeling. "Was it you in Shinjuku? Was the cease-fire because of you? Were you the one who killed Clovis?"

"Hey! Say something!" The other unknown individual demanded angrily.

Lelouch spun around dramatically just as the train entered the tunnel. He smirked at the thought, simultaneously delighting in the idea that they couldn't see his expression. The terrorists all jumped, as most anyone would when greeted with such a menacing mask.

"What did you think of my tour of the settlement?"

"Y-Your tour?" The leader with fluffy hair appeared unsettled, unsure how to approach the masked character.

The aforementioned unknown (extra) terrorist scoffed. "Come on! There's no way this guy was the one!"

Lelouch continued, disregarding the man. "I wanted you to truly understand them. The difference between the Settlement," His left arm extended outwards to perpendicular to his frame. "and the Ghetto!" His other hand extended to a similar position.

"Yes, there's a difference between us and them." The leader stepped forwards, determination hardening his eyes. "A huge difference! That's why we fight as the resistance!"

"You're wrong. Your actions are less of a resistance, and more of a distraction." Lelouch frowned, not that anyone would notice. "Terrorism will not defeat Britannia!"

"Defeat...?"

"Terrorism is merely a juvenile nuisance. Like a bee sting to a knightmare frame."

"What is this?! You're saying we're just pests?!"

"Yes, I am. Don't mistake your enemy. It isn't the people of Britannia, but Britannia itself! While the two may seem to be one and the same, there's a significant difference! Britannia is the entity which manipulates the vision of the people, and the Britannians follow it blindly, only understanding what they're told. Terrorism is insignificant, but war... War is what you need to fight! Without involving the civilians! Make up your mind, and choose the right path!"

Kallen glared at the masked man. "Don't be insane! Do you just say what you want? As if we could put our trust into someone who's hiding their face!"

The _other_ terrorist (who was really getting on the Lelouch's nerves) shouted. "Yeah! Take off the mask!"

The _other other_ terrorist piped up. "Yeah. Will ya' show us your face or not?"

"Very well, I'll show you... But what I'll show you won't be my face, but instead my power!" He smirked. "If I show you that the impossible is possible, then will you trust me? This evening, at seven o'clock, meet me at the Shibuya Junkyard. Bring as many of your group as are willing. I'll provide more details there. Of course... If you don't show... Then I suppose I shall complete this endeavor single-handedly. However, it would be comforting to have the support of others who have been wronged by Britannia."

The puffy-haired leader nodded in agreement, seeming to accept what he was saying, albeit with some difficulty. "That makes sense... But can you please tell us your name? Your words carry great meaning, but I'm struggling to trust someone who's hiding their face, even their name."

Lelouch smirked. He had carefully thought of what he wanted to be called. It needed to be memorable, but not flamboyant. It needed to be meaningful, but not overly complicated. In the end, it was simple. He would become 'Nothing'. "My name..." He paused for dramatic effect, the terrorists all leaning forwards. "is Zero."

With that, he had flourished his cape as he turned away, ignoring the protests of the terrorists. He then changed out of his clothing and left under the cover of the crowds. He then went to Shinjuku, where he used the Power of Kings on the people still there to locate the 'gas capsule' and move it to a secure location, forcing them to protect it until he picked it up the following day, and to not let knowledge of it be released.

* * *

Heading to the location that he provided, he allowed his mind to explore the possibilities. What _if_ they didn't show up? He couldn't simply lose that way. No, there was still his absolute trump card, but the prince disliked being forced to use that power for something so dangerous and long-term. It had been bad enough that he had compelled that one second-year to scratch a line on the wall every day that she was on campus, and the boy that sat two seats in front of Lelouch that now tapped the desk in sets of seven whenever he was bored, all for the sake of testing.

No. Lelouch found his power repulsive. He found it something much more suitable for his father, the emperor. The ability to forcing people to do their bidding was suitable for a king, not a prince. However, said prince would be lying to himself if he pretended that it was useless. It surpassed the capabilities of an army, possessed the destructive power of the greatest bombs, and was the most effective tool of diplomacy ever. Geass gave him the world. Nonetheless, Lelouch wanted a group to be loyal to him not from his unholy power, but for his capabilities. Even though the rational thing to do would be to build an army using Geass, he knew that, if overexposed to those blank empty eyes and timeless voices, he would go insane.

As it would have turned out, only Kallen and the leader, who identified himself as Kaname Ohgi, appeared. Lelouch turned slowly after hearing the footsteps entering the yard. Looking down, his eyes narrowed. He knew that he did seem rather untrustworthy, but he had been expecting deep down that the resistance group would have had more faith in him. "I see... Just the two of you, then."

Though it was a letdown, Lelouch didn't expect much more. This organization of terrorists as it stood involved far too much individualism. While he didn't have any qualms with the democratic way, Lelouch found it dangerous to allow such emotional whims to verge on the borders of insubordination. He smiled as he silently quoted the greatest enemy of Britannia, Napoleon Bonaparte. " _Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action comes, stop thinking and go in._ "

The two resistance fighters looked at him with more curiosity than ever. He had left them with more questions than answers. Ohgi had the grace to look down in embarrassment briefly. "Sorry, but if you could just give us just a bit more time? If I had a bit longer, then I would be able to recruit more..."

"No. You will do nicely for the job at hand. Our task is to free Suzaku Kururugi." Lelouch's voice echoed for a moment, and it wasn't until it faded that the two standing below him reacted.

His classmate screamed at him. "Don't be stupid! Do you have any idea how many we're up against?!"

Lelouch smirked at the irony of her challenging the knowledge of a prince of Britannia regarding Britannia's most notable characteristic. " _Oh, believe me Kallen. I think I know the enemy better than you._ " He spoke, an air of simultaneous caution and impassiveness laced in his words. "With your help, I'll clear the conditions of this task easily."

He extended his arm from within his cape. In his hand was a collection of photos of Clovis' personal transport. "I want you to make this. There are plenty of vehicles here that have suitable dimensions. All that is required of you is that the exterior looks the same. In less than six minutes, all the necessary resources will be delivered out front. Feel free to use as much as you want, but be careful in its disposal. We don't want to be too obvious in our methods. Kallen, I expect you to fix the vehicle to make it operate. Oghi, I want you to work on the exterior. Remember, it only needs to look like the photo. And it only needs to be driven forwards and brake."

He turned to leave the scrapyard. "I will rejoin you at four o'clock tomorrow. In the meantime, I must make my own arrangements." Lelouch walked for some distance, and, after making sure he wasn't being followed, changed out of his clothing. He smirked as he slipped on a baggy jacket. It was far from his choice of style, but then again, that was the nature of a casual disguise. Unlike the Zero outfit, this costume was to allow him to slip through a crowd unnoticed. It simply wouldn't do to have someone recognize him on the 'errands' he was about to run.

* * *

Time flew that school day, as Lelouch was buzzing with excitement. It wasn't long before Lelouch found himself looking at the interior of his Zero mask. " _This is it..._ " He thought. " _This is the day that I strike back at the Empire._ " He smirked as he entered the deserted junkyard, nodding at the two staff who stood perfectly still, red rims around their eyes.

Kallen sat on a pile of metal, heavily quaffing a water bottle. Oghi was a short distance away, yawning and stretching. As he drew nearer, the latter jumped. "Zero!"

Kallen leaped to her feet, water spilling as she spat out what she was in the process of drinking. "Ah!"

Zero chuckled as he turned to the redecorated vehicle. It was an excellent replica, and could easily be mistaken as the actual vehicle from a distance. They really had exceeded his expectations. "Exceptional work." His cold, sophisticated voice echoed. "I'm impressed by your workmanship."

Kallen scowled, having recovered from her shock. "You said that making that idiot's car was necessary to the plan, but what is the plan? How will this help us?"

Zero turned to her, his empty face sending chills down her spine as he seemingly stared into her soul. "You will be driving this car. Oghi will be piloting a knightmare for our escape, and I will be doing the negotiating. I happen to have a few bargaining chips that... are here right now." He turned to look at a truck coming into view. As it pulled to a halt, several men wordlessly leaped out and began setting things up. One group began erecting a large cube out of the materials they had brought, using some strange device on the corner that Kallen imagined did more than hold it together. Then, the men pulled out a large object covered by a tightly wrapped tarp. When the men pulled the sheet off, the two terrorists gasped.

"I-It can't be!" Oghi turned to Zero, then back to the large container. "How?!"

Zero watched as his Geassed helpers carefully loaded the capsule onto the top of the car. "I happened upon it in Shinjuku. After I deduced what it was, I had it taken into safekeeping. Speaking of which..." He turned, his cape fluttering behind him. "What were you planning on doing with the poison gas once you had it?"

Oghi looked down. "Well... we weren't sure. We wanted to tell all of Japan what Clovis was doing so that the resistance would grow."

Zero shook his head in disapproval as his slaves began setting up a Britannian flag. "Such shortsightedness will get you killed. You must be more cautious. While you did manage to land a blow on Britannia, it was insignificant overall. However..." Lelouch smiled behind his mask. "With a little thought, it can be put to use. Speaking of which, I wish to meet with your colleagues after we free Kururugi. Do you think you can arrange that?"

* * *

Kallen was quite reproachful when she was told what she was doing (and that she had to wear the chauffeur's outfit) and not operating the knightmare, but she did as she was told after being informed that athleticism was necessary. Oghi, too, showed discomfort in being charged with charged with the escape plan, but submitted nonetheless after some pushing. As they drove the vehicle through the streets, people stopped and gawked, many confused by the presence of Clovis' transport being driven from the direction of the ghetto, but they weren't stopped until they reached the barrier for the little parade being hosted by the Purist Faction.

" _Come now, Gottwald. I'm gambling on your pride._ " Lelouch had... persuaded an official to give him documents concerning Acting Consul Jeremiah, and Lelouch was quite interested. He actually remember the man. " _To think a man assigned to protecting my mother, a commoner, would go on to lead the ever prevalent Purists is shocking, to say the least._ " At the same time, Lelouch understood the man's mindset. His file had detailed him as an incredibly loyal, prideful individual. If he had served under his mother, than its imaginable that he had sought revenge for her death at the hands of 'terrorists'.

It wasn't long before Lelouch felt the vehicle move again. " _Excellent. The pieces are in the position. Now to move the king._ "

"You dare defile His Highness' transport? Come out of there!"

This was his cue. As instructed, Kallen pressed one of the three triggers she was given. Above, small flames ignited the highly flammable flag and burnt away the symbol of the empire, revealing Lelouch to the world. He was silent for a mere moment, as all of Britannia took a breath. The fallen prince of Britannia stood amongst the floating ashes of his flag before all the world, speaking calmly yet loudly into the crushing stillness. "I am... Zero."

The crowd gasped, and whispers began fluttering about. It reminded Lelouch of that fateful day in the Imperial Hall, with all the nobility looking at him with barely suppressed grins and laughter. Now, he was the one laughing. He held all the aces in his hand, and then some. He had the intelligence, the anonymity, the means, and the potential support, and then he had the ungodly power of Geass. This time, he, Lelouch vi Britannia, would triumph.

"I've seen enough, _Zero._ " Jeremiah spat out his name with contempt. "This lovely show of yours has lasted long enough!" He fired a single bullet in the air, apparently a signal for the Vertical Take-Off and Landing aircrafts flying overhead to deliver their cargo, which resulted in the mock royal vehicle to be surrounded by gun-toting sutherlands. Lelouch didn't flinch, though his cape fluttered from the air disturbance. "First of all, why don't you remove that mask of yours?"

Zero slowly reached his fingers up to his mask, then seemed to change his mind and raise his arm into the air. There was a pause, as his long, pianist fingers curled into position. A single snap rang through the air, seeming to be much louder than any snap should be, and Kallen hastily pressed the second trigger. The box behind Zero fell to pieces, revealing a large semi-sphere.

Jeremiah was taken aback. "What in the..."

A woman behind him, who Lelouch identified as the one who had so kindly given him her Sutherland, called out over her speakers. "Be careful! He's got the...!" Her voice trailed off. If she were to continue, there was no doubt that mass panic would ensue. And who knew what this evidently resourceful terrorist was capable of doing in that chaos.

" _Yes, Jeremiah. You never got a chance to see its true contents, so you assume that Clovis' words hold true and it contains poison gas. With this, I can bluff you into thinking I almost have you in check and that you have limited options._ "

Jeremiah muttered to himself before pointing a gun at Zero, trembling as he did so. " _Ah. So the tactic worked._ " He smiled. "You intend to shoot? I think you all know full well what this device is capable of."

Jeremiah reluctantly pointed his gun away. "Fine! What are your demands?"

"An exchange. This devastating creation of Clovis for Kururugi."

"Like hell! He's charged with high treason for murdering Prince Clovis! I can't just hand him over!"

"I think that you've taken that lie a bit too far, Margrave Jeremiah. It was clever for the Purist Faction to make an honorary Britannian the scapegoat to rid themselves of the system that they so despise, but I'm afraid that little trick won't work on me. He's no murderer. For you see..." He turned his head towards an eager cameraman filming for Hi-TV "It was _I_ who killed Prince Clovis!"

The crowd cried out at this. Lelouch imagined all of Japan, no, all of _Britannia_ to be in shock. He pushed forwards. "For a single innocent Eleven, you can save scores of your _precious_ , loyal, pure-blooded Britannians. I think that's more than a generous deal, don't you agree?"

"You're mad! Disguising that truck as His Highnesses... You'll pay the price for mocking the Crown!" Jeremiah seemed desperate. That was both good and bad. Good because it put Lelouch in a position of power. Bad because it also meant that he was closer to death than before.

"Be mindful of your position. You don't wish the public to learn of Project Orange, do you?" He tapped his boot twice on the truck, which slowly moved forwards. "If I die, it'll all come to light. Every detail will be exposed to the world. Everything that Clovis tried so hard to hide by massacring the people of Shinjuku, then blaming it on the poison gas _he_ made."

Gottwald shook with restraint. Despite being a highly skilled soldier, he didn't know how to handle the situation before him, even when disregarding whatever the hell 'Orange' was (though it did sound important). On one front, he had the terrorist wielding a weapon of mass destruction. On another, he had the mob that would likely arise for freeing the prime suspect _and_ the new figure that claimed responsibility for a prince's death. However, if Jeremiah were to tell the crowd that this _Zero_ possessed the poison gas they had so grandiosely proclaimed, then it would cause a human stampede, and also cause an inquiry by the Imperial Court. Finally, there was the reputation of the Purist Faction on the line, which was what the margrave had dedicated his life to after the death of the last of the vi Britannia line.

Lelouch smiled as Jeremiah struggled with his decision, much to the chagrin of his colleagues and subordinates. " _He's doing all the work for me and sowing seeds of distrust within their ranks. With luck, they'll fall after tonight's events._ " It was only a few more seconds when 'Orange' reached a conclusion.

Jeremiah gritted his teeth harder than ever. He played the results in his head over and over, and reached only one conclusion: he was doomed. However, his choices could dictate the degree of his failure. He had no idea what 'Orange' was, but he did know that the death of hundreds of die-hard Britannians was inexcusable. And even if the public found out about how much the Purists had faltered, they could always have that 'Diethard Ried' guy to redirect the blame to the terrorists. "Release them." He croaked. Gasps rippled across the gathered crowd. "Release them!" He said again, louder the second time.

Villetta Nu and Kewell Soresi both opened up their cockpits. "Jeremiah!" Nu called. "Are you insane?!"

Jeremiah yelled at the guards. "Release him!" He turned to Villetta, eyes flashing as he tried to signal that it wasn't the time to question him. "This is not an open matter, Lord Nu!"

Villetta immediately stood down. Jeremiah wasn't one to pull rank so easily, but his behavior indicated that something was seriously wrong.

Kewell, however, wasn't shaken. He yelled angrily at Jeremiah. "You fool! The terrorist is right before us! Let's be done with this!"

Jeremiah shouted "No!", but Soresi had already trained his weapon on Zero.

The masked prince merely tilted his head at the man. " _It would seem that there is already discontent present. However, your current position could be put to better use._.." His slide system opened for the first time of many, and he whispered, his gazed turns towards the arrogant Purist. " _ **Do everything in your power to aid our escape, including the prisoner.**_ "

Kewell's face was blank and his hand trembled as he brought his gun down. "I agree!" He yelled, his prior spirit returning to him in full force. "Do as Consul Gottwald commands! Release the prisoner!"

The guards began releasing Suzaku, who winced every so often from the injuries he had received during his questioning. The three primary leaders of the Purist Faction had spoken, but many of their followers disagreed.

"No!" One such soldier pointed his sutherland's gun at the four knightmares ahead of them. "We can't trust the word of this man! How do we know he isn't covering the E-!" He was stopped short by Kewell's knightmare slamming a metallic fist to his metallic face.

"You idiot! Do I not make myself clear?! No one is to interfere with their escape!"

Jeremiah turned in shock. "Kewell...?" The margrave was stunned. " _Has Kewell been conspiring with these terrorists the whole time?! What caused him to change his mind so quickly? He's never like that!_ "

Lelouch smiled as Suzaku finally stepped onto the ground. " _This is me clearing my life debt to you, old friend._ " He then frowned. " _Though I do wonder: what brought you to serve the military of the one's who invaded your country? What caused you to help my father, even after I told you what he had done to me and Nunnally?_ " He calmly walked down the front of the truck to meet the released prisoner, being careful not to slip as he hopped onto the ground. It wouldn't do to make a fool of himself now.

The crowd was groaning and shouting as the honorary Britannian began walking. As the two approached each other, Suzaku spoke. "Who the he-?!" A buzz was heard as he gasped and gritted his teeth.

"I expected that they wouldn't allow you to speak." He stood still, making time for Oghi to finalize preparing. While he waited, he watched as Villetta shout and load into her knightmare. Several of the knightmares behind her looked restless as well. " _Oh dear._ " Zero thought. " _It looks like their pride overrules any sense of duty in this group. Only Gottwald is cautious enough to stand down, excluding my little puppet._ "

"Zero." A voice broke through his thoughts. "It's time."

Masked Lelouch smiled. "Well then," He produced a trigger from underneath his cape. "I suppose we shall talk later." A twitch of his thumb, and the slightly modified container consequently released a cloud of pink, harmless gas.

The crowd quickly fleed, with the knightmares moving into action. Jeremiah quickly mobilized and charged forwards, only to be shot by Kewell. "Gah! Kewell?! What are you doing?! They're getting away!"

"We must do everything in our power to aid their escape!"

* * *

In the chaos that arose, Zero dragged a dazed Suzaku to the edge of the bridge. It was only after their feet left the ground that Suzaku became aware of his surroundings. He opened his mouth to shriek, but found that he wasn't capable of producing any noise. " _What the...?! WHAT THE HELL?!_ "


	5. 5 - Unprecedented Factors

Hello, readers. Sorry for the delay, but I just started playing League before Winter Break, so... I have an addiction. Another thing that's been holding me up is the fanart **for** this very fanfiction! As much as I would like talk about it now, it would be a huge spoiler on how I plan on directing this fanfic. Anyways...

 **I need help determining the pairings for this fic.** At first, I wanted this to be a Lelouch x Shirley story, but the factors spun out of control, and I now think that the only way I'll be able to form pairings at all is through Lelouch x Harem. Please give me your opinions, but know that I am kind of getting bored of all the C.C. and Kallen stuff out there. See one of my prior chapters (I honestly forgot which) for my rant about those female lead characters.

Finally, this story will dip heavily into **Code Geass: Akito the Exiled**. It is a good spinoff series that I highly recommend in itself, and I _stress_ to you the importance that this show has to the plot. However, **it is fine if you don't want to** , since I plan on writing the integrated concepts in clear manner that will be consistent with the rest of my writing.

5 - Unprecedented Factors

" _I intend to live forever, or die trying."_ \- Groucho Marx

 _A.T.B. 2010_

The fireplace burned brightly in the cold that had come with the unexpected storms. Though the sudden change in weather had effectively eliminated many of his meetings planned for the week, the man didn't mind. It simply gave him more time to focus on his personal projects. In this case, it was staring at a chessboard in the later stages of the game.

Next to the board sat several white and black pieces, intermingling amongst one another. On the other side there rested a steaming mug of his favorite cocoa, a guilty pleasure of his.

Schneizel el Britannia had agonized over the same board for several days now. At first, he's only given it a passing glance, but after _the_ war had been declared, he had paid it more and more attention. After the special recovery efforts had been launched, he had begun obsessing over it.

It was at this chessboard, in these exact positions, that his most recent game with his favorite brother -no, his favorite _sibling_ \- had been played. Unfortunately, the match had been interrupted by the insistence of Lelouch's mother, who had to drag Lelouch to his dance lessons. It was that night that Empress Marianne vi Britannia had been murdered.

Schneizel had felt some degree of sadness at that, completely separate from the sympathy he felt for his brother and sister. The late empress had always been so refreshingly honest and genuine that Schneizel couldn't help but grow attached to her, at least more so than most of his other stepmothers. In regards to the attackers, he wasn't initially sure, but as time went on, he grew certain. It had been the Emperor, or someone with the his blessing, that had ordered the death of Marianne. Why, however, was beyond Schneizel. It was relatively common knowledge in the Imperial Court that Marianne was, by far, the Emperor's favorite consort. Furthermore, she was actually useful, having been the one who helped secure his comfortable position on the throne at the expense of his enemies' blood.

None of these factors had stopped the Emperor from casting aside his children, though. He had been present in court that day, and though it was somewhat fuzzy in recollection, Schneizel knew from the beginning what their father was doing. Schneizel was the deputy Minister of State, and he knew how unstable the situation was in Japan. What was supposed to be a relaxing retreat from the pains that had been brought about in their very home was but a veiled death sentence to the two vi Britannia children. This fact was confirmed when Schneizel, with the support of Empress el Britannia, Empress li Britannia, Cornelia, Clovis, Euphemia, and a group of weakened nobles approached his father on the matter, only for their concerns to be entirely dismissed.

After the war was promptly declared by his father, Schneizel was the closest thing to livid he had been in a long time, though it was naturally masked with his recently perfected poker face. However, his sister, having smashed a quite a few expensive vases upon hearing the news, couldn't bring herself to calm down. Donning her recently attained Lieutenant General uniform, she had hastily scheduled a meeting with the Emperor to halt the war, if only long enough to recover the two lost children. But the Emperor had other plans. Cornelia had emerged from the throne room, silent and pale, trembling with fear and shock, and had only made it back to the li Britannia estate before she began sobbing. After much gentle coaxing by Clovis and Euphemia, they learned what the Emperor had told her. That 'there would be no such order', and that 'sacrifices must be paid to ensure victory.' And 'if they couldn't manage themselves on the battlefield, then they were less than worthless.' To finalize the point, their father threatened to do the same to Euphemia, should Cornelia ever be so foolish again.

Needless to say, Schneizel hadn't reacted well to their father's response. It infuriated him to no end to think of that man's decision, but there was little he could do. Once again consulting his group of supporters in the matter, he managed to persuade the Emperor to send out specialized search teams to recover the two a few days after Cornelia's audience, if only as a motivating factor for the military to further their campaign. It had been one week since then, and there had been no results.

In the meantime, Schneizel concentrated on the board hoping to find what his little brother had been thinking. " _Was he planning on castling with the rook that remained behind? Was the bishop to support the knight, or pressure the queen? How far did he plan on advancing those pawns? Was the queen moved over for any specific reason?_ " At the point where they had left off, there were more options left than Schneizel could ever imagine.

A gentle knock alerted the second prince that his butler was at the door. "Come in." He called. The door opened to reveal the head servant of the house, carrying an envelope. Schneizel's eyebrow twitched ever so slightly. Usually, his mail was to be left on the desk or in the dining hall, depending on the time of day. The time just so happened to be four o'clock, so the mail should have left at the dinner table. " _What is this? It must be urgent to require a change in schedule._ "

The butler gave a short bow. "Pardon my intrusion sir, but this letter was just delivered at the door." He held out his hand to relinquish the piece of paper.

The prince looked the envelope over. It was well textured, and was of a fine cream-brown color, but there were no words written on it. Grabbing his letter opener and turning the paper over, Schneizel was surprised to see the wax stamp with the imperial seal on it. There weren't many royal messages sent through mail, and those that did were typically already within Schneizel's knowledge. Carefully opening the letter, he placed back the latter opener while reading. His eyes darted across the page, until his grip suddenly tightened. He reread the block of words over and over, but there was no change to the message.

"Sir? Is there something the matter?" his butler inquired.

" **Out**." Schneizel responded with a coldness that was almost foreign to him. The servant, detecting his employer's distress, quickly exited the room.

As soon as the door closed securely, Schneizel dropped the letter and propped his head on his long fingers, staring downwards. The words still didn't go away.

 _To The Honorable Members of the Imperial Court,_

 _As per the order of His Royal Majesty, several search parties were organized with the primary objective of locating and recovering the eleventh prince Lelouch vi Britannia and fourth princess Nunnally vi Britannia from the current conflict in Japan._

 _On August 21 at approximately 1600 hours, Team 4 found an overturned wheelchair near a cliff face overlooking the ocean, with hair sample analysis on the chair revealing genetic material correlating with that of Princess Nunnally's. A short distance away, there was a large amount of blood stains and signs of scuffling._

 _Half an hour afterwards, converging Britannian forces discovered several Japanese officers at a large fire pit less than one kilometer from the cliff. Upon arrival, the leading force engaged in an armed exchange, with the Japanese forces falling quickly. Examination of the fire revealed a charred body of a human estimated to be around eight years of age._

 _Given the evidence, it has been concluded that the two imperial heirs, Prince Lelouch and Princess Nunnally, were taken to the remote location by Japanese military forces, where the princess was cast into the ocean. The prince was shortly afterwards burned to death, likely after bearing witness to his sister's execution._

 _With these reports, His Imperial Majesty Charles zi Britannia has officially declared Prince Lelouch vi Britannia and Princess Nunnally vi Britannia dead by the hand of the Japanese people, and in retaliation, has declared the war to possess the characteristics of a Magnitude 2 Combat Situation, authorizing the commanders of the Pacific Front to wield more power to strike back at the vile race that dared to strike the Imperial Family._

 _We shall all grieve the end of the vi Britannia line, and strive to ensure that their deaths were not in vain._

 _May the Glory of the Realm never cease._

Schneizel then looked at the chessboard. The exciting lure he had always felt from it was gone, substituted with a cold, empty void. He slowly lifted his free arm and suspended it over the board, as though he were about to make a move. Then, with a deliberate slowness, Schneizel reached down tipped to black king on its side, signifying a forfeit. He paused, and repeated the action with the white king. Both commanders had fallen. Taking in the sight before him, he let out a mirthless chuckle."Come now, Lelouch." He muttered. "You can't think I would accept such a forfeit? The game was only just beginning."

His frown became more pronounced than ever. " _I will avenge you, little brother. I will bring justice to the man responsible for this._ " And for the first time in over five years, tears fell from Schneizel el Britannia's eyes.

* * *

The Framed Soldier, the Blueblood Terrorist, and the Exiled Prince all landed safely in the tarp deployed by the rebellious schoolteacher. Overhead, the Margrave of Orange Groves and his subordinate struggled against an insane Kewell, while the rest of the knightmare frames were in chaos, their pilots unable to comprehend the situation (or pick sides).

Zero led Kallen and Suzaku down a long and complicated pathway before reaching an abandoned warehouse, where Oghi had asked for the terrorist cell to meet them. Leaving the rest of the cell, who was staring at the three in awe (save Oghi, who had managed to get there before them), the masked royalty led Kururugi to the back, and asked not to be disturbed.

After they reached a safe distance, Zero turned to examine Suzaku. The man was well worn with scratches and bruises, no doubt a result of Britannia's 'confession sessions'.

"It looks like they treated you roughly. Now you know what they're really like, Private Kururugi." Beneath the mask, Lelouch scowled in disgust. "Britannia is rotten. If you want to change the world, then join me!"

Kururugi Suzaku was having a very bad day. Not two days beforehand he was elated to be piloting the Lancelot, a state of the art machine that would propel him to achieve his dreams of fixing the corrupt system. Then, his rapid rise was countered with a rapid fall. He was blamed for the murder of Prince Clovis, despite having never even touched the gun that they claimed had his fingerprints all over it. After conversing with Lloyd, he had fully expected to die, which had come as almost a relief. He would no longer have to be tormented in the world of the living, and he possibly would get the opportunity to apologize to his father for his death. Now, he was being asked by a masked terrorist to join him?

"Is it true that you killed Clovis?" Suzaku remained resolute. Now wasn't the time to give up on his ideals, to succumb to the violent urge that so many countrymen had favored over being peaceful.

"This is war." Lelouch narrowed his eyes, wary by his friend's answer, or lack thereof. "It's natural to kill the enemy commander."

"And the poison gas? And taking all those civilians hostage?!"

" _Hmph. Typical Suzaku. You care more for others than you do yourself._ " "It was merely a bluff that I used for the exchange. I wouldn't stoop so low as to kill innocent civilians, unlike Clovis. As a result, I can assure you, nobody died."

Suzaku gritted his teeth and looked away. "The _results_? Of course... That's all that matters to you."

"What was so wrong with the means that I used tonight? I saved an innocent and loyal man, discredited a racist military organization, and didn't have to kill anyone while doing it. Are the means not a result of a prior end?." Zero extended his hand out to Suzaku. "Please, join me, Kururugi Suzaku. The Britannia you serve is but a worthless shell of the glory it pretends to possess."

"That may be true, however... I can change it into a worthy nation! From within the system, I can bring about change!"

"Change?"

Suzaku turned and began walking away. "I believe that the ends are worthless if the means to them are wrong."

"You... you idiot! Are you blind? They have no regard for anyone they deem inferior to them! You'll never have the chance to make a change!"

" _No! Where's he going?! Unless..._ " Lelouch's eyes widened. His friend was so stupidly naive that he thought that, through hard work and turning the other cheek, he could reach a point where he could end the suffering. It wasn't a bad idea, but Suzaku was forgetting a key detail. It wasn't a few key individuals making Britannia corrupt. It was just one man, and though he was many despicable things, he was far from corrupt. He was simply sadistic. Even if Suzaku somehow miraculously reached knighthood, he would be consumed by Britannia like a slab of meat in a pool full of piranhas. However...

"May I ask one thing of you, Private Kururugi?"

"Even though I want to arrest you for your crimes, I suppose I owe you that much for saving my life. Please make it quick, though. I need to go to my trial."

Zero walked next to Suzaku as they left the cavernous room. Passing the staring terrorist cell, Zero held his tongue until they were safely out of earshot. "I must know: What makes you so set on fixing the system, slowly and inefficiently, as opposed to simply tearing it down and starting anew?"

Suzaku stopped walking and turned to Zero. His expression, though still distrustful, was a bit more open than before. "Before the invasion, I met two Britannians my age. At first, I thought that they were just like the stereotypes of twisted, greedy, violent people that Britannians were said to be. The elder one, who was very close to my age, was arrogant and proud, and I enjoyed beating him up only to wipe the look of superiority that was always on his face. Over time, though, I learned that he and his younger sister were no different from me. Even though they grew up in the lap of luxury in Britannia, they were still kind and fair and polite. They taught me that not all of Britannia is cruel."

Zero smiled, though Suzaku didn't notice. In spite of feeling quite irked by his friend's refusal to his offer, he couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. He then stuck out a hand to shake with Suzaku.

The son of the late prime minister quirked an eyebrow at this. He had almost expected the man (who he chalked up to be a mad extremist) to kill him for walking away from his offer. However, now he was being offered a handshake. Bracing himself for the worse, Suzaku took the man's hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Kururugi Suzaku, though I am disappointed by your decision, I won't stop you from pursuing your dream. If you somehow manage to achieve the impossible, you have my full support. Regardless, my offer remains standing, should you ever wish to accept."

Suzaku pulled his hand back as he shook his head and turned away. "I appreciate your support, but don't think that will cause me to pull my punches. The next time we meet, I _will_ turn you in for the wrongs you've committed, Zero."

Zero chuckled once more as Suzaku grew more and more distant. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Turning, he returned to the group of resistance fighters.

* * *

The loud-mouthed one -" _Tamaki, was it?_ "- looked around in confusion. "Oi! Where's Kururugi?!"

Zero calmly addressed that question, as it was no doubt in everyone else's minds. "He went to turn himself in."

"HUH?!"

"That idiot! What is he doing?!"

"He's just going to throw away his life like that?!"

Zero held up a hand for silence, and silence he received. "Though he appreciated what we did, he still holds faith in Britannia. He has a dream no different than yours, where the Japanese people are free and are of equal standing as everyone else. He's just trying a different tactic. A stupid and baseless approach, but a approach nonetheless."

"Yeah right... Sounds more like suicide to me."

"No, it isn't. Because I announced my responsibility in the matter on national television, it is very likely that he will be released. As racist as they may be, a loyal soldier such as Kururugi is too perfect of a role model for them to kill. Since they're unable to reasonably pin the blame on him, and he's willingly returned to them, the best course of action for them to take is to show that they are worth serving, thereby reducing the discontent against Britannian rule in the conquered nations."

The various people around him stared with their mouths agape. With only a few sentences (albeit with too many long words for Tamaki's taste), Zero had shown perfect understanding on the way the enemy thought.

Kallen angrily spoke. "But why would he bend down to the Britannians after what they've done to our nation?! Where's his pride?"

The masked prince scoffed. "Pride is useless."

Everyone was silent.

"You may believe pride is important, but what is it really? What have you gained from it? From what I recall, your pride resulted in the Shinjuku Massacre. It was your pride that has led you astray, allowing your comrades and civilians to be devoured by the war machine that's our enemy. Despite attempting to combat the Empire, you allow yourself the pleasure of indulging yourselves with pride. If you dare to continue along this path, you'll only be feeding the enemy what they want, propaganda material and more reasons to exterminate the Japanese."

Zero reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "This is my new number. Do not attempt to contact the other one, as it was a short-term number. If you think you could concentrate your pride from a hindrance to a weapon, and you wish to join me in retaking this nation, use this."

* * *

Lelouch strode down the empty street brimming with confidence. He had pulled off yet another 'miracle', and he had solidified many of the group members' confidence in his capabilities, whilst also tempering their excessive egotism. That much was evident by their eagerness to join him when he hinted that there was much more to follow. Perhaps he could've been less blatant, but those terrorists really needed a wake-up call.

The number actually connected to a device that served as a medium between his personal phone and others. To prevent it from being tracked, it operated independently from his own cellular, and had a voice modulator built into it. What's more, it was encrypted, so that it would only work on Lelouch's passcode-protected phone. Overall, it was a very worthwhile investment.

* * *

"I'm home." Lelouch tiredly called out as he walked through the entrance to the dining room.

"Welcome home, Lelouch."

Lelouch stopped dead in his tracks as the unfamiliar voice drove his gaze up from his feet to the stranger in his household. " _It... It can't be! But how?!_ "

'Welcome home, Big Brother!"

Lelouch couldn't bring himself to answer as he stared in a mixture of awe and horror as the green-haired girl, C.C., spoke up again. "From your appearance, can I assume you ate out tonight?"

Nunnally showed no awareness to the feelings Lelouch was having. "I was really worried. I was wondering if you were caught in the uproar that man Zero caused. I tried calling you, but you didn't answer."

Lelouch coughed, gathering his wits. He couldn't afford to appear weak to this girl who somehow survived a gunshot wound to the head, had managed to break into his home, and then become friends with his sister. "Hello there, C.C. I was wondering when you would show up."

Though it was but an infinitesimal reaction, Lelouch could see the slightest of hints of surprise appear on her otherwise blank features. "It's really been too long, Lelouch. I'm happy to see you again."

Nunnally giggled. "She isn't your girlfriend, is she, Brother? That would make many of the girls very sad, you know. You should tell them that you're already in a relationship."

C.C. turned to her. "Our relationship involves a promise for the future, right?" She turned back to look him dead in the eyes, as though staring into his soul. "Le~lou~ch?"

Nunnally gasped. "Promise? Could you mean marriage? B-b-bu-but... It's too early!"

Lelouch's blank look morphed into a scowl. " _I don't know how to deal with this problem, but the least I can do is shelter my sister from whatever damage this 'C.C.' is causing. If she knows too much..._ " He frowned at the yellow-eyed girl, while speaking perfectly cheerfully to his sister. "Of course not, Nunnally. We're merely acquaintances. She's just referring to a... deal that I made with her awhile ago."

Nunnally frowned. "Brother... You know I can tell when you're lying. Please, tell me the truth."

Lelouch scowled. He was too shocked by C.C.'s sudden appearance to make a sufficient lie that could capture the situation, so he told the truth. "She saved my life, Nunnally. I told that I'd help her to repay that debt."

He wasn't lying. Not technically. He was merely... leaving out a few details. Minor details, at that. Indeed, Geass, terrorism, and killing their brother were pretty significant, but not enough to warrant causing his sister concern.

Nunnally frowned in disapproval, obviously discouraged by the fact that her brother hadn't made her aware of the fact that he was in a situation where death was a likelihood. "I want to know all about this later. Okay, Brother?"

"Absolutely, Nunnally. C.C... would you mind speaking in the other room? It's about that... debt I owe you." He roughly grabbed C.C, not caring if his (relatively weak) grip was hurting her. She had survived a head shot, and he'd be damned if her one great weakness was being having her forearm squeezed.

Pushing the girl into his room, his mannerisms changed greatly from the polite, kind Lelouch that he allowed himself to be when he was around his sister. No, that was someone else entirely. It was in this mode that Lelouch lost his patience and carried himself as his birth name dictated. "What are you?"

C.C, looked around his room, apparently not interested in engaging in conversation with him. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself, then retried. "You're-"

"Supposed to be dead?" C.C. filled in simply. Though he couldn't see her face because of the direction she was facing, he knew she was smiling smugly. "Do you like the power I gave you?"

"Hmm... The limits are bothersome, but manageable." Lelouch chuckled.

C.C. flopped down onto his bed. "Interesting. Are you satisfied?"

"Yes. Immensely, in fact. With this power, I can bypass a lot of the tools I would have needed otherwise."

"Tools?"

"Yes. Money, manpower, information, knightmare frames, and more. They are all key in my mission to destroy Britannia."

"You think that your power is all that you need to destroy the Empire?" C.C. looked away from him and turned to the ceiling. "Interesting." She whispered.

"Alright, I have some more questions before I can figure out your housing arrangements."

"That's a shame, because I'm done answering for the day."

Lelouch made a choking noise as C.C. climbed under the covers. "Be a good boy and turn off the light, would you?"

"Hang on for a second!" He glanced away as the girl stripped off her clothes and tossed them from the floor, though she was likely covered by his blankets. "You're staying _here_? Isn't the military after you?"

"Only a small part of it, perhaps." C.C. responded, obviously content with the bed.

The Power of Kings flared up within Lelouch's eye as he stared down at the girl. "Answer my questions."

C.C. shook her head. "Do you honestly believe I would grant you power that could be turned against me? The power of Geass has no effect on me."

Lelouch sighed as he sat on the floor. It would appear he was being both denied answers and access to his own bed. He would need to get Sayoko to set up a cot on the floor for him while he prepared himself for bed.

* * *

Lying in the darkness, the immortal witch turned to look at her latest contractor, who was sleeping soundly, no doubt exhausted from his long day. She smiled at the difference between the seemingly immortal and audacious Zero of three hours prior compared to the exposed and vulnerable Lelouch of now. Yes, this teenager was certainly interesting. And he showed potential that she hadn't encountered in decades, if not centuries.

However, her smile died as she looked at her hand. Focusing her Code, she reached out of bed and towards Lelouch.

It had been during the establishment of their contract that C.C. had detected that something was off, but she hadn't been able to fully comprehend it at the time. Now that she was near her contractor constantly, she was certain that something was the matter. She stretched her hand out towards Lelouch, focusing the power of humanity into herself.

Her eyes widened and her lips parted, as she showed a rare expression of shock. " _Charles... Marianne... what have you done?_ " Her code was reacting with the boy. And what it was resonating with wasn't natural, even by her standards. For as she called upon the collective consciousness, Lelouch's forehead was briefly illuminated by the blue mark of Geass.


	6. 6 - Reunion

Hello.

Here's a new chapter.

I'm not going to rant too much anymore. Instead, I'm going to reflect my views in my writing.

 **This chapter isn't really serious, like the episode that it covers.**

I understand if you're a bit disappointed by the plot irrelevance of this chapter, but I felt that this chapter would provide some more content and context, which is something we will all need moving on. Furthermore, I tried to make it up by making this a somewhat longer chapter.

I appreciate your input, and I would like you to know that I've looked at each and every comment I've received (because I'm so insecure about my ability to meet the reader's needs). Please continue to provide feedback.

6 - Reunion

" _A wise man gets more use of enemies than a fool does from his friends._ " - Baltasar Gracian

Contrary to popular belief, Charles didn't have an insatiable libido. In fact, he had limited interest in women to begin with. There was a far more logical explanation as to why he had produced so many children. There were dozens of them, and only one of him. In order for one to safely claim the throne, they had to eliminate all of the lesser opposition simply to ensure that their victory isn't stolen out beneath them. Thereby, by allowing them to constantly squabble for the the throne and producing more and more variables, he could extend his time as Emperor. And time was all he needed, for it was only a matter of time before his brother and C.C. located and unlocked the last Geass artifacts necessary to begin the formation of the Sword of Akasha.

His first wife was an arranged marriage by his father, which allowed him access to a large group of nobles whose power helped him in his bid for the throne. His second wife was a method of placating the remaining opposition after his ascension. His third wife was the heir to an influential business conglomerate, which served as an excellent government contractor. His fourth wife secured rights to several different sakuradite mines, which helped deal with growing energy needs for the developing empire. Every wife he took was but a strategic acquisition.

At least, that was the original plan.

Marianne was the first woman he courted that wasn't _fake_ , quite unlike the other women of the court who only wished to become a member of the Imperial Family. She was proud, sure, but that came from confidence in her own capabilities and her own beliefs. She didn't mask herself in the _lies_ that plagued the world. Even as his knight, she voiced her opinions. She was loyal, powerful, and beautiful, and what's more, she also believed the unification of humanity.

It was for these reasons that there were so many rumors about the fact that Charles favored her above his other wives, because they were true. He _loved_ her, and she loved him.

The Arias Villa was a structure heavily built around the concept of natural beauty. Seven gardeners were employed to tend to the numerous gardens within the residence, while the other mansions required five at most. Countless species of plant grew on the grounds, and even His Majesty enjoyed it's refreshing beauty.

Marianne had demanded that her house have an incomparable garden, and nothing less. She, unlike any other consort, was one to actually _command_ the _Emperor_ to give her what she wanted. And he loved her for that.

Charles chuckled at the memory. It was part of her conditions for marrying him. And ever since then, he had visited her more than any other of his wives.

The air was crisp, he noted. It was a bit cold for the afternoon tea Marianne wanted, so perhaps it would be better to go to her indoor gardens. Striding up the front steps, he paid no attention to the quivering men who quickly opened the doors. Then, Charles saw _him_.

The Emperor hadn't enjoyed his prior interactions with his children. It was for that reason that he typically would have his wives over as opposed to going to them. Sure, it made him appear more powerful to have the most powerful women in the world to come at his call, but it was simply because he disliked children. There was one pattern that occurred when his brats got old enough to recognize who he was for the first time. They would either cower behind their mother and cry because of his daunting appearance, or they would run up and try to be clingy. Neither option appealed to him, though the former was more amusing than the latter.

So when Charles zi Britannia saw the Eleventh Prince standing a few meters ahead of him, staring up at him with the eyes that were so like his own, he stopped short. It would've had to have happened sooner or later, so it may as well be time to make an impression on the brat. Emperor Charles drew himself to his full height narrowing his eyes down at the child, like a ferocious beast staring at its prey. And the boy stared back.

Never before had a child squarely faced his gaze, but this one did. This child wasn't crying or looking for attention, but was simply regarding him with narrowed eyes, nearly mirroring the glare that Charles had perfected.

It always amused him that this was the only child to inherit his eye color. It had been appeared in the Imperial Family for innumerable generations, before the Founder himself, but external breeding and purges such as the Emblem of Blood had ensured that he and V.V. were the last to possess the unique trait. Of his first four consorts, no child of his had his eyes. But fate would have it that his fifth wife, born a commoner, would bear a child his most unique physical trait was laughable.

So the two continued their stare down. The father with a certain degree of feigned disdain, while the boy looked back impassively, as though he were merely an observer in the game called life.

The world resumed when Charles heard the stifled chuckle of Marianne. He looked up to find her looking from the hall near the boy. She looked at both of them with amusement before she walked in slow, graceful steps to her son. Resting her hand on the boy's shoulder, she spoke in a chiding tone.

"Lelouch, you should always greet the Emperor with respect."

The boy nodded, his eyes somehow changing from an interested peer to a calculating glare. He brought himself to a perfectly straight position, before sinking into a light bow. "It's a honor, Your Majesty."

The father simply looked down upon him before walking past the two of them. Marianne looped her arm around his and called out to their son. "Go play, Lelouch. Your sister should be ready by now."

She turned back to her husband, grinning devilishly.

"..."

"..."

As soon as they were out of Lelouch's sight, she broke into another fit of giggles. Her husband simply sighed.

"Oh, Charles, you must admit that was funny!"

"If I agreed I'd be lying."

"Don't be so uptight! You should've seen it! Oh, I wish I had a camera!"

"Marianne..."

"Honestly, your version of bonding is beyond me! It's as though you were looking at a reflection of yourself!"

"That brat and I have nothing in common!"

"If you say so, Your Majesty~!" she teased.

There was brief lapse of silence as they continued walking.

"So how goes the _project_?" Marianne asked carefully.

"V.V. and C.C. have reached a standstill in many of our smaller endeavors. Some of the artifacts aren't responding to our efforts, and we still need more Ark Keys for the gateway to remain open all the time."

"What about the Argus Watch? Wasn't it compatible?"

"No. It would seems that the Ancients didn't design it to be that way, and I don't wish to risk be trapped halfway between realms."

There was another brief silence as they walked through one of the many indoor gardens, before Marianne drew closer to Charles. The latter glanced at his wife, one of his eyebrows arching in interest. The vi Britannia empress had a faraway look in her eyes, as though she were gazing into the most marvelous sunset to be seen.

"Charles..."

"Yes, Marianne."

"I'm so happy."

Charles glanced at his wife once again. "Are you feeling ill?"

She pouted at him. "I'm serious, Charles! We are achieving our dreams! Everything's turning out perfectly! Even the unexpected factors have turned out beautifully!"

Charles chuckled. It had been quite the surprise to Marianne when she first felt the signs of life appearing within her. Of course, that hadn't been pleasant for Charles. While his other wives were perfectly content with being given the finest luxuries in the world, Marianne was only sated by his full attention, and he couldn't deny her anything.

"I know it isn't pleasant to think of delaying Ragnarok, but I truly hope that he will be old enough to witness and appreciate it as we do."

"Hmm? Why is that?"

"Ahh, Husband. You don't know him like I do. Lelouch is a brilliant boy. I daresay he inherited your intellect. He's already studying far beyond what he's expected of, and his desire for knowledge is insatiable. He also seems to be interested military science. I expect that he will one day bring the last Thought Elevator into our grasp."

"And if he disagrees with our methods?"

"Then we'll make him see the truth! We'll show him that true peace can only be attained through breaking the barriers of man! But, if he becomes a threat, we'll do what we must..." Marianne sighed.

Charles nodded solemnly. He disliked children, but perhaps this 'Lelouch' would be an exception.

* * *

Lelouch vi Britannia was many things. An exiled prince, a masked terrorist, a mind controller, and most importantly, a good cook.

What Lelouch was not, however, was a morning person. Far from one, in fact. He didn't enjoy the idea of waking up at the crack of dawn for anything excluding stopping threats to Nunnally and opportunities to strangle the 98th Emperor of the Realm. Since both were in short supply, he simply didn't get up unless he was particularly restless, in which case he would tend to pace around a little before climbing back under the comfortable duvet. How Suzaku consistently woke up .

" _Covers..._ " Lelouch hazily came to, if only temporarily. His hand wandered around the cot trying to did the blessed warmth of a nice, thick blanket. " _Wait a second..._ "

" _Cot?_ " He hazily remembered being forced to sacrifice the comforts of his own bed.

" _Ahhhh. That's right. I gave up my bed so I could appease the immortal contractor that gave me my power._ "

"..."

" _That sounded ridiculous._ "

And with that, the Eleventh Prince drifted back to sleep.

* * *

" _If he weren't so special, I would probably strangle him with this pillow._ " C.C. thought blearily. She had slept with many men who wouldn't awaken if the apocalypse was upon them. While this worked in many cases where she needed to kill a king or a prince, this wasn't one of them. It was one of the few times that she cursed modern technology. For it was from the same science that allowed pizza to be made in minutes that created her greatest adversary: the modern alarm clock.

Already, three pillows had been lost in the battle against the accursed device. Three warm, fluffy mounds of comfort had been sacrificed in vain as she blindly threw them in the direction of the sound, hoping to silence the now-crescendoing 'Symphony No. 9'. Now, she could do nothing but fortify herself in a poorly constructed barrier against the ungodly sound.

In her last stand against the demonic device, she threw one of the few remaining pillows at the sleeping form nearby right as the orchestral sound reached his height.

* * *

Lelouch jerked awake with a sense of frustration, loss, and unfettered rage. Try as he might, he could recall barely anything from the dream, barring that it had been a dark place.

The young prince became aware of the sound that virtually shook the room with its amplitude. He rose, turned the alarm off, and crawled back under his blankets.

It was about fifteen minutes later that he awoke for good. His breaths came in heaves, and his face was sweaty. This time, he remembered a portion of the dream. Bile rose to the back of his throat, and his head pounded like drums of war. His left eye twitched slightly as he recalled those accursed eyes.

Those were the eyes of the man he hated most. The man who had exiled his own son and daughter to a God-Forsaken rock, and then declared war on aforementioned rock. Those eyes were as unnatural as the brain behind them. They were the very quintessence of cruelty to billions of people, Numbers and Britannians alike. The most ridiculous part of his eyes were that Lelouch had them too.

How ridiculously comical. It hadn't been Schneizel, or Cornelia, or even Odysseus. No, it _had_ to be Lelouch, the one child that ended up as a 'failure'. The one child who was now taking up arms against the Empire. Back before the assassination, he had been proud of it. He had been proud to bear an unique genetic trait that no one other than his father possessed. Now, he wished that he could replace his own eyes and burn the stamp off of his back.

But now that Lelouch had Geass, he knew that he wanted to see those eyes once more. The Eleventh Prince wanted to see those eyes reflect that _creature's_ shock and confusion, anger and _fear_. Lelouch craved it. He _needed_ it. Finally, his revenge would be exacted, with his father falling at his feet. But those were bridges yet to be crossed. For all he knew, he could be killed by some random OSI agents, or perhaps get captured by some disgraced knight from the Purist Faction. Even still, he enjoyed entertaining the idea of giving the Emperor a nice throat hug.

* * *

C.C. silently contemplated her contractor's expression as he slowly rose from the cot laid out. His face hinted at a smile, but it was more of a leer. His eyes told that this was no normal teenage boy thinking of girls or school. No, that was the face C.C. had seen before. Marianne made one when talking about the other Empresses, and Mao made it whenever he talked about someone thinking impure thoughts about his dearly beloved C.C. The face was that of someone was relishing homicidal ideations.

" _This doesn't bode well._ " C.C. noted idly, not really caring. " _The insane ones either die too quickly, or evolve and lose the ability to carry the Code. I'm going to have to keep an eye on him_."

* * *

Lelouch took it upon himself to cook for Nunnally on this particular morning. After coaxing Sayoko out of the kitchen, Lelouch heartily whistled Morgenstemning as he bustled about, preparing a delicious meal for his sister, his maid, and his... green-haired pet.

French toast with strawberries and whipped cream were the main course of the morning. The bread was gently buttered and dusted with powdered sugar, just as Nunnally liked it. On the side, Lelouch had made some scrambled eggs and sausage, just to add some protein.

They say that 'the satisfaction from hard work is reward in of itself'. Lelouch couldn't disagree more. He found himself much more inclined to sitting around, thinking, reading, and playing chess than working. Perhaps it was in his blood that he would be more content sitting than moving about. However, all of his own whims and dislikes meant nothing compared to Nunnally. It was moments like these -where Nunnally was delighted by the very first bite of breakfast- that made all the tedious and draining work seem like too small of a payment to receive such a great reward.

As Lelouch packed went back to his room to bring C.C. his offerings (as she liked to think of them), the immortal stared blankly. "That isn't pizza."

Lelouch's face gave away no emotion. "No. It isn't, it it?"

The two stared at each other for awhile before the immortal reluctantly grabbed the plate and utensils he brought.

"These are pretty good."

Lelouch felt himself swell with pride. His food managed to pierce the ridiculously annoying exterior that the immortal had.

"... That is, it's good considering that you made it."

Lelouch scowled. It became obvious that inside her off-putting surface personality only his an equally annoying interior. " _Bloody picky little..._ "

"I've had better, but it's still good. How did you manage to pull this off? Did your maid help you?"

"Hmph. You ask so many questions, yet you won't answer mine?"

C.C. simply kept on eating.

"Fine. It was simple, really. I didn't need Sayoko's help. This is hardly my first time in the kitchen."

She fixed him with a curious stare. "... Interesting... Why would a Britannian prince know how to cook?"

Lelouch huffed, then scowled. "How is it that you know who I am?"

C.C. realized her mistake, but kept her expression neutral as she lied. "When we formed our contract, your mind was exposed to me. I like to have some background information on people before we make a contract."

Lelouch glared for a while, then sighed. " _It's not as though I could do anything to stop her, but she's in hiding too._ "

He kept his eyes narrowed cautiously, though. "I had taken some cooking lessons back when I was a prince. Since I wasn't the most athletic one in the family," Lelouch paused as C.C. coughed. "Mother wanted to emphasize my advantages. As such, I was supposed to build up my abilities to diplomatically handle the people of the court. In addition to what every prince and princess does, like dancing and etiquette, I also learned cooking, piano, violin, and various other abilities that would satisfy the aristocratic snobs."

"So you were trained to be the perfect gentleman?" C.C. supplied shortly.

Lelouch nodded. "Basically."

"But then you were exiled."

Lelouch tensed briefly and nodded again. "When we were at the Kururugi shrine, Nunnally was still recovering from her lack of sight and mobility and also being isolated from her own homeland. Since I couldn't play with her anymore, I decided to do the best I could do compensate for her disabilities. I learned to play her favorite songs and to cook delicious dishes to appease her."

"Weren't you fed by the Kururugis?"

"Yes, but I knew that Nunnally didn't like fish at the time."

"It sounds like you either have the purest relationship with your sister ever, or you're a dirty pervert."

Lelouch's expression briefly darkened with irritation. "Well, I believe that going through the events like we did would cause some to become more dependent on each other, right?"

C.C. sensed that Lelouch was trying to direct the conversation towards her, so she simply ignored his question. After he waited for her answer and she gave none, he sighed and sat down at his desk.

" _Now then,_ " he thought " _time to see what I've started._ " He started his online search with the word 'terrorist'. Immediately, results came pouring in. News articles, blog posts, videos, and much more were being created at an incredible rate, and all of them were centered on Area 11. Most were concerning him, though there were some others about various terrorist groups becoming increasingly active. " _Those fools. They wait for someone to do something right, and then foul up its purpose with impure causes._ " Lelouch glared at his screen.

"Lelouch."

He turned and glared at the scantily-clad woman resting on his bed. "What?"

"Can I order some pizza?"

He blinked. "Didn't you just eat?"

"Can I order some pizza?"

"... Fine. Whatever you want."

"I'm going to need your credit card."

Lelouch fished through his wallet and handed it over. "Don't spend all of it. It took a lot of tedious chess games with idiots to get it."

"I won't spend _all_ of it." She grabbed his phone from the desk and hopped on the bed, which would have been incredibly inappropriate for Lelouch had he been still paying attention. Fortunately for the boy's sexual innocence (his only innocence left, as his other forms of guiltlessness had been brutally stabbed and burned), he had been watching a few videos of hostage takers making demands.

The next thing he searched was 'Zero'. From there, he saw dozens of images of himself, and quite a few Britannian political cartoons, some of which were actually amusing. This pattern of research continued on, partially for gathering public opinion, and partially for amusement. It was surprising to find that there were a few Britannians on more shady websites that agreed with his decision to bring up the discrimination of Numbers, but those few gems were few and far between. The majority of his searches yielded propaganda and the words of the brain-washed masses. " _Ah... If only I could show them how little their precious Royal Family thinks of them._ " Very few knew that most of the Imperial Family regarded the commonwealth with the same degree of disgust as the commonwealth regarded Numbers. " _Which is why I must be the one to open the eyes of the masses._ "

At some point, the pizza arrived. Lelouch only noticed when he heard the scandalized yelp of the pizza boy and running footsteps. The young prince stared at C.C. as she enter the room with a box of cheesy goodness, a slice already hanging from her mouth. "Did you seriously go outside _naked_?"

C.C. shrugged. "I have a shirt on." She glanced at the computer. "So what was 'Orange' anyways?"

Lelouch sighed and looked at his screen, only to glance back at his roommate. She looked away from the book in front of her and met his gaze evenly. "What?"

"For someone who won't answer my questions, you've sure got a lot of them."

"If you don't want to answer, then don't. It's what I do."

"Fine. For your information, Orange was just something I made up. I thought it would be fitting, considering Jeremiah's past."

"What past?"

Lelouch tapped his finger impatiently. "It wasn't anything big. His parents reign over a farming district. What really matters is the purpose of 'Orange'. With it, I divided the Purists. Now, the army believes that the leader of the Purist Faction is withholding information, and one of his chief subordinates has just committed an act bordering on treason at a public event."

"That reminds me, why did you wait to use your Geass? Why didn't you just use it on Jeremiah?"

"His subordinate was the only real threat. The margrave was already wrapped around my finger with persuasion alone. However, the other one seemed to be ready to shoot at any moment."

He looked at the clock. It was time to go.

C.C. looked down at the magazines sitting around her where the figure of Zero stood defiantly. "They're all looking for you, Zero. The whole world is moving forwards, confused but motivated. Is this what you were looking for, Lelouch? Was this your intention?"

"No." Lelouch's slender frame slipped into his Ashford jacket, which had been custom tailored to accommodate his lithe frame. "This little farce is simply a means to an end. This world... is destined for more chaos."

After kissing his sister's forehead and waving a goodbye to Sayoko, Lelouch walked a short distance to his first class. " _Considering the lack of terrorists, explosives, or politics, this day will be rather dull, won't it?_ " He then smiled. " _Well, at least I have my Geass to keep me company._ "

The day passed without a hitch. Ultimately, he only ended up using his Geass twice, in order to instruct his English and Math teachers to ignore any abnormalities in his behavior, appearance, or attendance.

(A/N: In case you were wondering, the scene involving Lelouch trying to hide C.C. from Kallen never occurs, as he already provided an alternative phone number to the terrorist cell, and thus there's no reason for Kallen to approach Lelouch. Be prepared to more and more changes like this in the future.)

* * *

The next day, however, would be entirely different. It was a day that inadvertently shake the Earth to its core, as two unmatched forces met in a battlefield known by many, but recognized by few.

Lelouch hadn't been able to plan, as the news of the new Viceroy had yet to be announced. Instead, he focused on the power of Geass. Further searches regarding his prior theories led to dead ends, since his last idea on cerebral damage proved to be far too unfeasible. " _What could it be? In the bathroom... My eye glowed. Could the command transmit through some kind of wave? A carrier of the command...? But that simply wouldn't make any sense!_ " His musings were interrupted by the loud mutterings of the class. Looking up, Lelouch froze in shock.

"I'm Suzaku Kururugi. It's a pleasure to meet you." Suzaku stood with the ramrod straight back, as though he were still in the army. " _Wait... Did he leave the army? More and more questions... Like who on Earth would let this happen?_ "

* * *

In the Viceroy's main quarters, two imperial sisters were hard at work, though it seemed that both of them were having trouble focusing, the elder out of boredom and the younger out of restlessness. Suddenly, Princess Euphemia let out a small sneeze that echoed around the large chambers. Cornelia regarded her sister carefully.

"Do you have a cold, Euphy?"

Euphemia sniffed indignantly. "Of course not! One sneeze doesn't mean I'm sick!"

"I'm just making sure. Let me know if you start feeling ill."

"I'll be _fine_ , Big Sister. Maybe someone's talking about me behind my back."

Cornelia stared at her sister incredulously. "What on Earth is that supposed to mean?"

Euphy clapped her hands, thankful for a distraction. "It's a Japanese superstition, Sister! Apparently, if you sneeze once, it means that someone is speaking about you behind your back. However, if you sneeze twice, it means that they're saying mean things about you."

Cornelia snorted. "What a ridiculous myth. That would just be silly!"

It was then that Euphemia sneezed a second time. Her eyes narrowed. Waving her fist dramatically, she called out in mock fury. "Stop making fun of me, whoever you are!" Cornelia simply chuckled and rubbed her eyes in exhaustion.

Eternity stretched out all around him, but that wasn't important, nor was the fact that his plans were growing ever closer to fruition. All that really mattered to Charles zi Britannia was getting his handkerchief to ease the damned itching in his nose.

* * *

The teacher glanced around, obviously feeling uneasy due to the Eleven next to him and the overall mood of the class. He couldn't disagree with their behavior, as he most certainly would have done a similar thing in his youth, but he was an adult now, and it was his duty to maintain order. He raised his finger, directing the Kururugi boy to sit behind Mr. Lamperouge. It's not as if Lelouch was there often, so what did it matter?

Lelouch's mind worked at an incredible pace as he tried to determine the best outcome. " _I wasn't planning for this! If I simply ignore him, there would technically be no risk nor benefit. That said, Nunnally would be upset with me if I simply ignored our friend like that, and I would feel ashamed of myself without her help, so that is a mediocre option. Another choice is to meet with him privately, which would be troublesome, but would still allow me to get in contact with him and have him meet with Nunnally. If I do that, though, it would surely limit my ability to redevelop our relationship. Finally, I could stand up here and establish our prior friendship. It would be risky, since it would likely do a little damage to my reputation, and it would be release a little information on my past. However, this would also pressure him into reestablishing our friendship, and thus likely make him more friendly with me. With that, I can communicate with him with ease, make Nunnally happy, possibly gain some degree of convenient access to military information, and also sway him towards my cause._ "

Lelouch rose from his chair, allowing a smile to slip over his face. "Suzaku, is that you?"

The entirety of the class turned their attention to Lelouch, who was now openly grinning, his eyes showing recognition of the Eleven.

"Le-Lelouch?!" Suzaku stuttered. He figured that Lelouch would be at this school, but he had forgotten about him when his jittery nerves took over, and he was hardly expecting his long-lost friend to suddenly call his name.

The class watched the exchange as spectators would watch a tennis match. "Professor, may Suzaku sit with me?" Everyone gasped. Lelouch Lamperouge seemed to have taken an interest in someone, and it was an Eleven of all people. The teacher slowly nodded his assent. Suzaku cautiously wandered over to Lelouch's desk, completely confused by what was going on, before Lelouch grabbed his shoulder and gave him a small smirk. Another gasp was released by the class, but Lelouch watched for very specific reactions within the audience. Rivalz was just as shocked as the rest, while Shirley seemed slightly less surprised and more interested. Kallen watched like a hawk, trying to make heads or tails of the situation, while Nina simply fainted.

By the time class came to order and Nina was safely escorted to the nurse, class had concluded. Lelouch, having grown tired of all the attention, went the opposite direction as Suzaku, though not before Lelouch flashed five fingers twice and tugged on his collar once.

"Lelouch!" The door slammed close. "What are you thinking?"

" _Believe me, I've thought this through even more than you can imagine, Suzaku._ " He chuckled. "Since when were you so cautious, Suzaku? Besides, why wouldn't I stand up for you?"

"You have to be careful!" Suzaku frowned. "It isn't right for someone like me to be friends with someone of your position! You're a pri-!"

"Enough, Suzaku!" Lelouch glanced around warily, though he already knew the rooftop was empty. "You know how much I hate that title. Besides, do you really think I care that you're Japanese?"

"But associating yourself with me is the worst thing you could do! You already have friends, right? You don't need me anymore."

Lelouch put both of his hands on his friend's shoulders and gripped tightly, though it could hardly be considered strong. Staring into his friend's eyes, and spoke with the finality befitting of his princehood. "Suzaku, don't ever belittle yourself. You have always been my equal, and I consider you to be my brother just as much as Nunnally is my sister."

"You also forget that even if I did care about my public standing, these people would still be far below me. Most of them merely have rich parents or are distantly related to a nobleman or something. The sheer difference between me and them makes your social standing seem like a joke. Just don't worry about this stuff, Suzaku."

Suzaku sighed, hanging his head in defeat. "Fine. I just wish you weren't so reckless, _boss_."

The two of them chuckled, then fell silent. The breeze swept Lelouch's hair as he stared off towards the Area Eleven Administrative Building.

"So how'd you escape?"

Lelouch turned to Suzaku. "Pardon?"

"Well, those royal guardsmen didn't just lose you, did they? How'd you manage to get out?"

Lelouch faked a sigh. "Well, there was this explosion, you see. I started running with the girl, and we managed to gain some distance from the soldiers. However, by the time I had figured out how to escape the ghetto, we got separated in the chaos... Did you find out who she was?"

"No, I never heard anything about her..." Suzaku scratched his chin. "I don't understand why they told us that it was poison gas though... And Lord Jeremiah didn't even know! You saw how Zero tricked him, right?!"

Lelouch nodded silently as the conversation lapsed into silence.

"So... What do I call you? You are still 'Lelouch', right? Did I make a mistake?"

"Not at all. Nunnally and I kept our given names. We did change our last names to 'Lamperouge', though."

"Lamperouge?"

"That was our mother's family name."

"Aren't you worried that somebody will make the connection?"

"No. The Emperor never troubled himself with his children, and there's nobody who would look for us. We've been 'dead' for over seven years, now. There's no reason that anyone is looking for us."

"I... I met your sister the other day."

"Which one? Whoever it was, I would like to apologize on her behalf. Or not, actually. Lord knows how annoying Guinevere is."

"It was Eu-Princess Euphemia. She was actually really nice."

" _Euphie_ is _here_?! In Area Eleven? But that means that... Is Cornelia going to be Viceroy?!"

"Oh! So _that's_ what Lloyd was talking about!"

"Who's Lloyd?"

"Oh... He's just my... boss." Suzaku said, mentally adding " _Owner_ " at the end.

Lelouch, on the hand, was mentally celebrating. " _This is it! This is the Emperor's response! The Witch of Britannia facing off against Britannia's Most Wanted! And I'll win! Cornelia may be a good tactician, but she couldn't make a strategy to save her life!_ "

Suzaku continued, assuming that Lelouch was reminiscing on his past. "You know, Princess Euphemia was really nice. Had she always been like that?"

"Most of the time. I remember that she could get possessive at times, but she's usually really gentle. She was a great playmate for Nunnally."

"Speaking of which, can I see Nunna? Is she well?"

Lelouch smiled. "Of course. I'm sure she'd love to see you. She was really worried when you were on trial. She's well, though her condition hasn't changed much."

Suzaku's smile lessened until it was a brooding frown. "That's too bad. I would've thought that there was some kind of procedure to help."

Lelouch shook his head wistfully. "There's only so much that can be done, especially when we're trying to keep our heads down."

Suzaku looked over the edge to the tiny students down below. "You should go home, Lelouch."

Lelouch spun to look at his friend. "What on Earth are you saying, Suzaku?!"

"Lelouch, it's not right that the two of you have to hide like this. I don't know what it's like, but for royalty to be stuck amongst the regular citizens can't feel right, can it? You and Nunnally could have so much more. You deserve better."

"Suzaku, you're forgetting that even if we wanted to go back, the emperor would have every right to kill the two of us for running away. The only thing that matters to that man is value, and for us to return to court after seven years without anything to signify our strength would be suicide. Besides, the only reason for me to go back is for Nunnally to be healed. We like it here, without having to worry about being backstabbed or betrayed."

Lelouch shrugged, placing his hand on Suzaku's shoulder. "Let's not talk about that kind of stuff now, though. You want to see Nunnally, correct?"

* * *

"Fight on!" Charles zi Britannia roared, his fist raised to the sky. The Emperor of Britannia dominated the vast hall. "Compete!" All across the world, people listened to his voice in fear, anger, and inspiration. "Steal!" Loyal Britannians trembled in awe. "Acquire!" Enemies of the empire felt their breath catch as the king spoke, undaunted by the fact that his son had died at the hands of a terrorist. "And dominate!"

Lelouch scowled, glaring at the image of his father with pure bloodlust. Just as Zero managed to put off an aura of mystique and untouchability, the emperor was seemingly eternal and unbreakable. " _That is why Zero must be the one to destroy you, Father._ "

"And in the end, THE FUTURE SHALL BE OURS!" The 98th Emperor of the Realm, Lord over Heaven and Earth, King of Man and Nature, and Chosen Son of Britannia spoke, his words echoing around the globe. With the finality of the apocalypse, he concluded his speech. "ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"

* * *

" _I'd like to first thank the generous sponsors of the Pendragon Imperial Library for hosting this event. I'm sure that the many other speakers would agree with me that this event is great not only because it promotes intellectual communication, but also because it allows scholastic thinkers like myself to have fun talking with other people also interested in such fascinating concepts. After all, as much as I love political analysis, it's not as though talking to my wife about these things improves our time in the bedroom."_

 _-Laughter, scattered applause-_

" _Sorry, sorry. It won't happen again. I believe I've taken up enough time on casual banter. The topic that I would like to cover tonight is something that I feel a lot of people misunderstand or underestimate when they are looking at the might of our empire. While I won't disagree that our nation wouldn't be nearly as great without the hard work of the men and women in our armed forces, there's much more at play than what meets the eye."_

" _Of the many methods for securing new assets for the Britannian Empire, few have been as successful as the "Administrative Remittance Program", otherwise referred to as "PROJECT Benjamin". The program, which was first employed in the capture of Area 6 under the reign of Empress Karen tu Britannia, has been since used repeatedly to consistently suppress resistance in new Areas."_

 _-Shuffling notes-_

" _The Administrative Remittance Program typically involves three stages: 'Identification', 'Assertion', and 'Shadowing'. Identification involves the scoping of the target's processes, and the labeling of key individuals within the target's government, society, and industry. Afterwards, these individuals are given the choice to cooperate with Britannian forces. Those who accept receive monetary compensation and are granted a full Britannian citizenship. Using these allies, Britannia then can cripple targets or redirect its people, all without direct involvement."_

Ezekiel P. Stephenson (1941-2002) at the Third Annual Convention for Imperial Affairs by the Imperial Grand Pendragon Library, 1968


	7. 7 - His Promise

Yay! Summer vacation! Time for me... to... go... to... trigonometry...?

I had something planned to say up here, but I've already forgotten, so I'll think of something.

It should be known that **I will be tampering with the settings** quite a bit. While I've read many AUs that are incredibly AU based (entirely different reality), **this does have the characteristics of an AU. Then again, most fanfictions are AU** , so I'm tentative to classify this as such.

What's that? What settings shall I be changing? Well, there are a few things, some secret, some not. I'll probably address them as they come up. One example which makes a partial appearance in this chapter specifically is that **Milly's mother died in childbirth**. I never understood her familial status, and I felt that her character made more sense when you removed the potential 'embittered child' aspect to her and see her more as a 'necessary cheerful' person.

Another very important edit I made with **the whole world of Code Geass is the timeline**. In this, I am **tentatively changing the date of Eowyn's ascension** (and thus the start of the Britannian calendar) as well as the time of the French Revolution by a few decades, simply because I want **more time to work with**. If one were to examine the time that would've been when Britannia was founded, there would've only been around nine generations from then to present day. I prefer to think that Britannia has a much more ancient history, and as such, as the Grand Writer, the Unmoved Mover, the Voice of Being, and the Eternal Schemer, I made it so.

More to follow. The next chapter is already in the works.

7 - His Promise

" _In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity._ " - Sun Tzu

 **A.T.B. 2010**

" _Just a few more miles. It's just a few more miles, and we'll be free of this nightmare. Free from... This_."

Lelouch stopped to shift his sister's position on his back. There, in the distance, was the beginning of the Tokyo Settlement. It had taken no time for the Britannian forces to obliterate Japan's infrastructure, and it took even less time for them to begin their own reconstruction. In the matter of days, Tokyo devolved from a shining city to a crumbling, fiery wasteland. Now, new buildings were rising towards the sky, higher than any Japanese towers had ever stood. The twisting, gleaming architecture beckoned Lelouch, calling him _home_. But his anger was too great to dare consider returning to Britannia. It wasn't enough for his father to rob them of one home, so he had annihilated their second one.

"B-Brother?" Nunnally's voice brought him back to the present. What with his exhaustion and hunger, it was becoming harder and harder to stay concentrated.

"Yes, Nunnally?"

"Where are we?"

"We're outside of the Tokyo Settlement, Nunnally.

"Oh... So Tokyo is... Tokyo is..."

"Yes, Sister. I'm afraid that it's gone.."

"Do you think Suzaku made it okay?"

"I'm certain, Nunnally. He's stubborn, but he's smart enough to know when to pick his battles.

"Why are we here? What are we going to do?"

"We're going to find the Ashfords. Remember what Mister Todoh told us about their new school?"

"Do you think... Will they take us?"

" _Will they indeed"_. Lelouch had mulled over this many times. Who's to tell whether Lord Ashford would take them in after what they had put the clan through? For all he knew, they would turn a blind eye towards them, or perhaps even ship them back to Britannia. If it was the latter, well...

Lelouch tightly gripped the gun in his jacket pocket. "I'm sure they will. Remember how nice they were? Remember Milly?"

He heard the smile in her voice as she recalled their playtime at Pendragon. "Yeah. I want to see her again."

"Don't worry, Nunnally. We'll be there very soon." He mentally steeled his resolve. " _If they choose to betray us, I'll have to do the same in turn_."

With that, he doubled his pace.

* * *

Arthur decided that it was going to be a good day. Already this week, two more investors had been signed on for long term support. At the moment, he was preparing to go meet with a viscount who had already set up shop in town. The man expressed interest in aiding the production of school supplies, and just so happened to have a leg in the textile industry.

The Eleven maid, (Saya... Saiko... Sayoko?) Sayoko walked alongside him as he briskly walked down the main hall.

"How has my daughter been treating you, Miss Sayoko?"

"Miss Ashford has been a very sweet girl. I couldn't ask for a better child to care for." She said as she helped him slip his jacket on.

"Good. I trust that your quarters are to your liking? Anything that we can do for you?"

"Your treatment of me is most kind, 's nothing more that I could ask for ."

Arthur sighed and turned to the girl. "Look, Ma'am. I understand that you're a new employee and this isn't your field of specialty, but I would appreciate it if you would offer your full opinion to me and my father. We Ashfords value honor, and pointlessly masking any discontent helps no one."

He frowned at the maid, who merely nodded back with the same, neutral expression. "Of course, Sir. I won't be indirect next time I need something."

"Good." Arthur turned to the door, taking in a deep breath. "Alright. I will be back in an hour. Be sure that Milly had eaten her breakfast by then. Also, tell my father to notify me if there are any developments with Baroness Luime."

"As you wish." Sayoko bowed. "Have a safe trip, Master." She opened the door allowing Arthur to step outside. He knew it would never be the same as the Ashford Mansion, but it was still beautiful.

" _But who is it that is trespassing on my property?!_ " He squinted in the distance. The morning light was still rather dim, so he couldn't really make out who was approaching. Perhaps it was Mr. Quinn, or maybe Sir James? Or maybe it was even a Jap-Eleven, seeking to cause some trouble?He pulled his glasses from his dress pocket.

"Father!" Ruben Ashford's head snapped up from his book. Next to him, his young granddaughter was still immersed in her puzzle. "Father!"

" _He's probably just overexcited about finding another backer. I swear, that boy gets so worked up over the small things, he couldn't have ever left the foundation to the department heads. He probably would have micromanaged us out of business._ " With a roll of his eyes, Ruben immersed himself in his book once again.

"Master."

Ruben took off his glasses and eyed the new caretaker sternly. "My name isn't Master, Miss Shinozaki. My name is Ruben, or Mister Ashford, if you prefer. As I've told you, there's no need for such rigid behavior, especially given the likeliness of this being a long-term employment. What does my son need?"

"Yes, Ma-Mister Ashford. Your son is asking for you to go to him."

"So I heard. What is it, exactly?"

"He didn't tell me, sir, but there were people that seemed to prompt his need for you."

Ruben raised his eyebrows. "He would engage in such unseemly behavior with guests? Who were they? Did they have any symbols on their coats?"

"No, Sir. They were just two children. One was a girl with auburn hair, and I think the other was a boy with black hair.

The soothing noise of jazz faded to nothingness as all sound was substituted with a high pitched buzzing. If Sayoko had said anything afterwards, he couldn't tell. His body began moving, slowly, as though he was moving through molasses. As he stood, he felt none of the normal fatigue that plagued his knees.

He was gasping for breath by the time he made it to the door. His son was still standing still, shaking as he looked into the distance. Following his son's gaze, he saw a child shuffling strangely from the fog. As he drew closer, Ruben's poor eyesight picked up a second person, apparently mounted on the boy's back. The two drew ever closer still.

" _It... No. It just can not be. It's impossible!_ " But there was no mistaking the boy's features: that unruly black hair, a deadly sharp jawline, and _those_ eyes. And the girl on his shoulders... Ruben's stomach sank at the sight of her closed eyes.

Time resumed at its normal pace as the Ashford patriarch fell to his knee, his right arm bent over his chest in reverence. His head was bowed, as was the obligation of a commoner in the presence of royalty. He heard his son follow suit, and the brushing of Sayoko's dress as she seemed to hesitantly kneel.

There was a pregnant pause, as Ruben's lips fumbled to compose a sentence. He chose to simply open up room to talk. "Miss Sayoko, please go inside and watch Milly. This... is a private matter."

She wordlessly went, leaving the involved parties to their own business. A little while after the door close, Ruben tentatively spoke. "Your Highnesses. It's good to see you again."

"Is that so?"

Ruben shivered as the boy's voice calmly questioned his intentions. " _So even I am no longer above the net of suspicion_?" He kept his head down, for he was no longer deemed worthy to meet the prince's gaze. "Of course, Your Highness." He kept his voice steady. "It broke my heart to hear that you were dead so soon after the loss of Marianne."

The eleventh prince continued glaring at the two men before him, before he spoke again. "Ruben and Arthur Ashford, as a Son of the Empire, I request your aid. You have no obligation to aid the Imperial House of vi Britannia, but your help would be greatly appreciated."

"My Prince, there would be no greater honor. What is it that you would require of us?"

"We seek protection and housing for an extended period of time."

"That will be an easy task to accomplish."

"You are not to notify anyone of our presence."

"I... Yes, Your Highness."

"Thank you. Please, stand. I assume you remember Nunnally?"

"Of course, Your Highness. How could I ever forget?"

Ruben saw Nunnally give a small smile from behind Lelouch. At that, he realized that the boy's shoulders were trembling with effort. He had never been the strongest, and had often ended up being wrestled to the ground by Milly, who would then sit on him and declare herself better than him until he conceded a point. Now, his sheer determination and the frailness of his sister were the only two things that allowed him to make the trek across undoubtedly long distances.

"Princess Nunnally, would you like something to eat, or perhaps some water?"

Nunnally suddenly tightened her hold on Lelouch, as though she was afraid of losing him. As the prince whispered into her ear, Mr. Ashford frowned sadly at the sight. " _These two were once so full of life and love. Yet, in less than a year, they have already been exposed to so much more pain than most people. It's such a pity._ "

Nunnally seemed to be in agreement to her brother regarding whatever it was they were discussing, and she smiled to Ruben. "I would love to have some water, My Lord." Her voice was a soft breeze on a hot day, but it was brittle and weak, as though she had been drained of her very life.

Arthur took the initiative to step forwards and request permission to carry the princess. Lelouch agreed, but watched the man like a hawk as he relinquished hold of his most valuable treasure.

Lelouch regarded Ruben for some time, as clouds continued to roll across the sky. "Prince Lelouch, I never did get the chance to say that I am sorry."

"There are many people I blame for the struggles that Nunnally has been put through, and you aren't one of them. If anything, it should be me apologizing. If I hadn't been so hot-headed, this wouldn't have happened..." He looked depressed. Tired. Beaten down. As though he simply wanted to give up. Ruben feared for the boy.

"Mister Ashford, are you a loyal man of the Empire?"

Ruben cocked his head, his curious gaze evenly met by the boy's blank glare. "I would say that I am, Prince Lelouch. That said, some recent events that have slightly shaken my faith. Why?"

"What was it that caused you to lose your way, _Lord_ Ashford?"

"It was the loss of your mother, then the apparent deaths of you and your sister. I was distraught by the lack of compassion _some_ people have, and I was appalled by how your names were twisted."

"Twisted, Ruben? In what way?"

At this point, Ruben ducked his head and grimaced. He wasn't sure how to broach the subject to the poor boy. "You see... My Prince... You were a symbol. You are a symbol. A symbol of the Empire, correct?"

"As much as I hate to admit it."

"According to a dear friend of mine, the Imperial High Command issued orders to engage in Magnitude 2 warfare."

"Magnitude 2? Like from the Britannian Standard Strategy?"

"You have read it?"

"No, but I've caught glimpses of it."

"Well, you understand what it entails, I assume."

"Of course. It's essentially like the total war used in the North and South War, right?"

"Indeed. That is what happened here. The only reason Japan still looks somewhat intact is because of the value of the sakuradite deposits."

"What does this have to do with us?"

"My Lord, don't you wonder why they would bother making the Japanese bleed anymore than they did? You and your sister were declared dead over two weeks ago."

Lelouch froze, his skin paling to a snowy white. "They didn't."

"I'm afraid that it really is true."

"But why? Why kill so many of them just for us?"

"Some saw it as justice, and others saw it as a warning. Regardless, you and your sister were the catalysts."

"We were made into bombs. Somehow, even after being banished, we were still a weapon!" Lelouch was staring down now, his long, dirty hair shrouding his face. "Ha! Ahaha! Hahahaha!"

He brought his face back to the light, his shoulders shaking from suppressed sobs and chuckles. "Hehe... Can't you see, Ruben? This is our fate, our _destiny_. Everything we touch is destroyed. Our mother, our home, and now our hosts! We were always _the_ abomination! Our blood was so impure that even God is insulted by our existence!"

He began to cry once more, releasing nearly a year of fear and sadness. "It's not _fair_! Why do we have to be hated? Just because their blood is pure doesn't mean that they're better than us!" He scowled, tears still ebbing down his face.

"I have the blood of kings, the blood of emperors! They were jealous, so they reached their filthy hands out and tugged us down! I will destroy them all! Them, and my evil father! I'll make them pay with blood!"

"LELOUCH!"

Lelouch spun around wildly, his crazed eyes looking for the source of the noise. By the time he had identified the speaker, she was nearly upon him. "Oof!"

The two youths fell to the ground in a flurry of movement. Big tears fell on Lelouch as Milly held him tightly, her face a conflict of emotion. "I-I thought..." She buried her head next to his, clutching at him desperately. "Y-you were..."

Lelouch broke into fresh sobs once again, but he still smiled wryly. "I missed you too, Milly."

* * *

 **A.T.B. 2017**

" _Disgusting._ " Cornelia looked out the windows in disdain. Truly, it was a sorry sight to behold. The Japanese had once been a fine breed, their ability and solidarity being bright signals of power in a world where countries usually participated in collective groups just to survive. After the invasion, however, the Elevens crumbled into pitiful, _weak_ creatures. Once they lost their ancestral foundations, they lost their strength and motion. Now, the once-powerful race were nothing more than a pathetic, embittered mass of mediocrity.

"This is the primary entrance?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Good. Establish the perimeter at this distance and begin the enclosure as planned."

"As you command!"

Cornelia continued to survey the crumbling ghetto. It was a shame that there were probably some innocent Elevens that would be caught in the crossfire, but they were merely potential terrorists, or collateral damage. Anyways, they'd all had ample opportunity to simply apply for Honorary Britannian status, or at least report terrorist whereabouts.

"My Princess." Guilford stood next to a kneeling man. "I brought him in as you commanded."

"Hm. Rise, Lord Jeremiah."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"You're here for the purpose of aiding me with information on Shinjuku. Think of this as a way of redeeming yourself. Had your actions been any worse, or had I not known you beforehand, you would've been facing a much heftier punishment. However, you are still a valuable asset to Britannia, and you must prove yourself worthy before you can once again pilot."

"I am grateful, Princess Cornelia." Jeremiah's eyes hardened with determination, and he brought his fist up to a salute.

"At ease, Lord Jeremiah. As I've said, I remember your loyalty to the Empire. I also know the feeling of betrayal within one's ranks."

Jeremiah looked down, his shoulders slouched in a rare moment of defeat. "I don't know what happened to Kewell, but I apologize for my failure to correctly judge him. For him to collaborate with Elevens... It's so hard to imagine."

"That still doesn't explain 'Orange', though."

Jeremiah gritted his teeth as he turned to Guilford, who was staring at him neutrally. "As I've said before, I know nothing of what 'Orange' is, Lord Guilford. Perhaps you have some _insight_ that I lack?"

"Oh, I have many speculations, _Brigadier General_. Interestingly enough, you're involved in several of them." Gilbert's lip curled ever so slightly as he met Jeremiah's cold gaze.

"Is that so?" Gottwald snorted, before leaning towards the knight. "Would you care to back up your words, _Sir_?" His eyes glinted dangerously, a flicker of madness that had cracked his refined, controlled exterior.

"Enough." Cornelia ordered. Clearly, Gottwald wasn't understanding how unstable his position was, but then again, her knight wasn't refraining from taunting him, either. "I will not have two of my most officers squabbling like children."

The two men turned and bowed, their voices echoing reluctance, but also bearing respect. "Yes, Your Highness!"

* * *

 **Elsewhere in Shinjiku**

"No." Lelouch shook as Cornelia's order was relayed throughout the group of knightmares. " _No._ "

The inside of the cockpit suddenly rose in temperature, and it suddenly became difficult to breathe. " _Those bloody cowards... They were truly lost cattle, infinitely more useless than Britannian troops. They surrendered so easily, even though we had the upper hand! So much for their supposed 'Japanese Pride'. And now... And now I'm caught within the enemy's web._ "

Sweat poured down Lelouch's face and his eyes dulled as he contemplated the thought of his defeat. " _What do I do?! If Cornelia sees me now, she'll surely be able to identify me, or at least recognize me to some extent!_ "

Pain shot through Lelouch's head as he clenched his hands over the controls. " _Is this what true defeat feels like? Is this what the Japanese felt when the war took only a month to end? Is this what my ancestors felt when the peasants expelled them out of Europe?_ " Another ache, stronger than before, forced him to close his eyes and bite his tongue. The torture echoed across his body, causing his muscles to seize uncontrollably. " _No! I shan't be defeated!_ "

Lelouch took deep breaths, trying to regain control of his body and mind. " _This is unacceptable! Defeat now would mean that I would be captured! And Nunnally-..._ " As he gripped his head, his eyes darted across the ground, reflecting his terror. " _Nunnally would be left to_ _ **them**_ _with no aid! My capture would only cause her more problems!_ "

He banged his fist against the wall, his breath becoming shallow and rapid. Pain continued to pour from his head, and his fist started hurting from the repeated abuse.

Lelouch's reality was slowly flooded by a sharp, pure white.

* * *

"Huh?!" Cornelia's mouth went slightly agape as she watched one of the knightmares suddenly jerk and fall to the ground. Hard.

"What on Earth...?" Jeremiah muttered as he watched the spectacle below.

"My Lady, how shall we proceed?" Guilford's voice filtered in through the speakers.

Princess li Britannia rubbed her chin thoughtfully before determining a solution. "We can't be put off our guard, but this hardly seems like a viable offensive or an escape method, so we must be tentative. Make sure that the pilot can't escape through ejection. Send someone to remove the door, and we'll have a foot soldier investigate. I want my guard on the ready. Have your weapons trained, but don't overreact." Cornelia rolled her eyes. "The last thing we need is to shoot the son of a duke or something."

"Understood. I'll dispatch a footman now."

* * *

"Where? Where am I?" Lelouch vi Britannia called as he awoke. The last thing he remembered, he was home...

Suddenly, a great din started assaulting his ears. There was the sound of metal groaning and creaking from above him, before a human voice met his ears. "Put your hands up and slowly exit the cockpit!"

Lelouch frowned darkly. Ah yes, _now_ he remembered. As he took deep breaths, meditating his response, he realized the voice hadn't come from a knightmare, but instead a person. A exposed, unprotected person. " _Foot soldiers. Excellent..._ "

"This is PQ732 reporting in. I am approaching the entryway now. The target appears to be currently disabled, and- Oh. There is deep red on target. I repeat, the target is injured. Requesting meat wagon pronto."

The man slowly clambered into the awkwardly-positioned chamber with Lelouch, who had realized that there was indeed blood on his clothing and face, but not to a serious extent. It seemed that the impact had caused his nose to start bleeding. Fortunately, there wasn't much lasting pain. This soldier, however, didn't need to know that. In fact, he didn't need to know anything. Nothing besides his mission.

Lelouch took a loud, gasping breath and clutched at an imaginary wound on his chest. "Help... me..." The soldier jumped at first, but slowly drew closer in the tight space.

"Please... I need your help."

"Hang tight, soldier. We've got aid coming in soon. You'll be alright."

"No..." Lelouch twisted around. " _ **I need your help now**_."

The man's hold on his gun weakened, and his face became blank. "Yes, sir."

Lelouch rushed through his command, as he heard the soldier's supporting troops beginning to call for a further report. "Continue to act as though I were injured. In fact, report that I require immediate and thorough medical treatment. Do everything in your power to help me escape from the battlefield!"

"Understood, sir." The man's posture jolted, and he quickly reached for his radio. "This is PQ732A, requesting high priority medical treatment. Target is critically wounded and requires immediate evacuation."

Outside, the sound of shouting men slowly grew louder, and it became obvious that the military medics had come at last. The soldier quickly unstrapped the limp Lelouch and slowly carried him up towards the exit. Above, heads popped out, carefully evaluating the scene. As he was handed off from person to person, stretcher to stretcher, he used his Geass carefully and quietly. " _ **Believe I am injured, but do not drug me.**_ " " _ **Cover my face with a towel except for my eyes.**_ " " _ **Clean out the knightmare's interior.**_ " " _ **Move faster.**_ "

By the time he was safely in an ambulance, Lelouch was panting with the amount of effort it had taken to repeatedly use his power. However, it was far from over. He was still stuck in enemy territory, and he wasn't sure whether it would be easier to escape or attack Cornelia. Regardless, he knew that he couldn't use the Geass too many more times before he'd faint from exhaustion. It had already drained him by a lot, and the prince was certain that using it more times would do him no favors. Thankfully, there was a certain someone who made his escape a lot easier.

" **Attention to all units. The terrorist 'Zero' has been spotted in 43-C-9. Be advised that target is a known hostile. Commander Cornelia has ordered that we do not engage. Repeat: Do not engage with target.** "

* * *

"B-But Princess, please! He's right there!"  
Cornelia glared at Jeremiah, who was practically trembling in excitement. "You heard Darlton, Gottwald. There's no point in pursuing Zero when he's deliberately revealed himself. Besides," Her nose wrinkled in disdain. "know your place. Even if I'm being light with your punishment, to have you questioning my orders is not something I take kindly to."

Visibly defeated and disappointed, Jeremiah kneeled. "I apologize, Your Highness. I've grown reckless in my desire to bring the terrorist to justice."

"I understand your pain, but don't allow it to consume you again, lest you find yourself killed, or perhaps worse, demoted."

* * *

C.C. gave a sigh when she saw Lelouch shakily making his way to her. It was so stressful to have an overconfident contractor simply throw his life around so aimlessly. " _Too bad he couldn't just be a good boy and sit still for once._ "

"You... Why did you save me?"

As she slipped the mask away from her face, C.C. couldn't repress the smug expression that took ahold of her face. "It's just as I told you. I can't have you go dying on me. Not now, at least."

Lelouch grit his teeth as he saw the Witch looked down upon him. "This wouldn't have happened had the conditions been more equal! If those terrorists hadn't betrayed their own cause, we-"

"-would've won, I know. However, you lost tragically, didn't you?" C.C. was expressionless as she reprimanded her young contractee, before she turned around and began tossing the mask of Zero up into the air. "I thought that you, of all people, would realize that Britannia doesn't play fair. With or without the Power of Kings, you are fighting an uphill battle. Bemoaning the imbalance of power is hardly an effective tool. Too bad you don't have the power to set your own conditions, huh?"

Lelouch scowled. She was, unfortunately, right. " _Even though I managed to escape, I can't hope to beat Britannia in this state. My plans were viable, yes, but I didn't take into account all of the variables. No, I need to set my own stage for this performance._ " He stumbled upon a solution. He may not be able to control the enemy perfectly, but it was easily within his power to properly establish his own pieces. With formation and ample weapons, even that ragtag terrorist group... "I will set my own conditions, then! I shall create an army that can't be defeated! No, more than that! They will be a perfect people! A perfect race!"

C.C. mulled over his words carefully, allowing a smile to slip over her face as she heard his statements and reminisced upon one of his earlier ancestors, the one who had spoken nigh the same words and ended up creating the nation Lelouch was fighting now.

"Before I can do that, though..."

She turned, curiously looking at the boy. "What?"

Lelouch brought his palm his his forehead, frowning at her as he did so. "What was it that I experienced earlier? It was like a migraine or something... I fainted from the pain. I've never felt anything like it. Was that a consequence of this power, this Geass? Or was it just some stress? Do you know?"

" _So this must be one of the effects of that... thing. Must I really speak to Marianne about this?_ " C.C. nodded slowly. "I believe that this is merely a result of both your power and your emotional turmoil. You must learn to control your Geass and prevent it from getting the better of you." She carefully reached a hand up to his head, allowing her to channel minuscule amounts of stimulation directly into his nervous system. " _Hopefully, that should help slow down the process._ "

Lelouch's shoulders slouched as the exhaustion of the day came into full effect, and he slowly began stumbling up one of the tunnels, planning to distance himself a little from the ghetto before calling a cab and wiping the driver's memories. Before he made it far, though, a certain immortal joined up with him and began to wonder aloud. "How do you expect your driver will react when he sees me dressed like this?"

In spite of the events that day (or perhaps because of them) Lelouch couldn't bring himself to care, and simply shrugged.

* * *

 **In Eternity**

Clovis la Britannia was confused as he looked around. He was inside a strange structure that seemed to be...floating. " _How on Earth...? How did I get here?_ "

A deep, powerful voice interrupted his thought process. "Clovis la Britannia."

Charles zi Britannia towered over his late son. His imperious gaze caused Clovis to shiver in fright, but the prince held his dignity. "Father." He kneeled. "May I request that I be told where I am? This is... A truly magnificent place."

Charles turned and surveyed the ruins of the Sword of Akasha. Indeed, it was quite the sight to behold. "You are dead, Clovis. You have returned to the collective of humanity, and you've no doubt already been judged."

Clovis stared at his hands as he remembered. He recalled his time in an empty, eternal room, trembling as he underwent countless deaths that he himself had been responsible for. It felt like forever before he could finally exit that prison and enter a different world of beauty and perfection, where there was little distinction between his surroundings and beautifully crafted works of poetry. "So, because I am dead, I was forced to pay for killing, before I went to... Heaven?"

"... To an extent. And now, I've summoned you here, so that you may continue serving me."

Clovis glared at his father, who showed the same blatant disinterest as always. "Why should I help you?" Clovis's hair grew longer as his figure swelled to new heights. His facial features grew stronger, and soon he was taller than Charles himself. "We were all happy together! There was harmony, unity even! Nunna and Lelouch and Euphie and Cornelia and even Schneizel! We were a perfect family!" He growled as he pointed to Charles, his long suppressed anger released in his dead state. "Then you destroyed it! You attempted to send Lelouch and Nunnally straight to their deaths, and you threatened Cornelia with the same thing to Euphie! Lelouch wouldn't have dreamed of fratricide before you threw him and his sister into a war zone! You even let Empress Marianne-!"

"I will have **silence**!" The Emperor's cape billowed from an unseen power, and light seemed to stream out from behind him. Clovis slowly reverted back into his younger self, his body shrinking and his face growing more boyish until he looked to be around 16 years old.

"You don't know the truth behind those events, _boy_ , and I will not allow you to insult me so blatantly. Even though you're dead, Number Five, I still hold power over you. Do not test my patience." He breathed deeply, reminding himself that Clovis was essential for the plan to keep Marianne from driving her husband insane. "You realize my power, yes?"

Clovis, still younger than his original size, nodded. "Yes. I-I remember something totally different than what I thought before. The day you exiled Lelouch."

"Yes. This is part of the power that is carried by the girl you were trying to hide from me."

Clovis paled and shrank to a preteen. "You... You knew? You know of her abilities? How?"

Snorting, Charles discarded his blank mask and gave his son a look of pity. "There's little in the empire that I don't have the ability to find out. You were containing C.C. and experimenting on her immortality. I, on the other hand," Charles clenched his fist, emphasizing his point. "I know of greater powers that she possesses. Powers beyond her immortality and her mental weapons. Such as the power she granted to Lelouch."

Clovis looked up at his father with wide eyes. "Lelouch has that ability too? Like yours?"

Charles nodded, his gaze placed firmly on his son. "That's right. And you will help me figure out what it is exactly."

"Why?" Clovis was back to a strapping adult, his posture defiant and proud. "Are you just going to try to kill him again? Or maybe you'll taunt him about his mother's and sister's deaths, like when you so blatantly insulted him before you exiled him? Even though I've been naive in life, that... that place has taught me valuable lessons! I won't allow my brother, murderer or no, to become your victim again!"

"Tell me, have you seen Marianne or Nunnally once during your time in the afterlife?"

Clovis paused, jaw dropped as he wrapped his head around the implications of his father's question. "Are you saying that they... that both of them are alive?"

"Yes."

"I-Impossible! Cornelia told me about the scene! She said that Marianne's body was mangled, destroyed by dozens of bullets! And Nunnally was a crippled Britannian in the middle of an invasion in a foreign land! How could you be so sick as to make such cruel jokes?!"

"Marianne also possessed a special power. Not immortality, but instead she could preserve her consciousness through other people. It was fortunate that Lady Alstreim happened to be nearby when my wife was killed. Through her, Marianne has lived."

"The Knight of Rounds?!"

"Of course, insolent child. How do you expect a mere child to suddenly become an unrivaled ace pilot? And Nunnally had protection from Lelouch during the invasion. I suspect that the Ashfords are also involved. Now then," Charles paused. "Tell me the last thing you remember before you died, and I shall explain to you how I plan to use that information."


	8. 8 - The Birth of an Idea

Hey, hey! Here's another chapter.

I'm sorry that the story's progressing so slowly, but it was necessary to demonstrate the buildup of tiny changes and why what's happening is what's happening. I know that you guys are probably excited for some major changes, and I can assure you that they are all looming right behind the scenes.

Have any of you listened to the Code Geass soundtrack in of itself? I always felt rather impartial to the music (seriously, what is with that saxophone?) when I watched the show. However, I recently started listening to the OST alone, and I was impressed. I really got into the music, even though I hardly remember most of it in the show itself. My two favorite pieces are **All Hail Britannia** and **The Master**. Those are brilliant pieces, and they give me the chills nearly every time I listen to them!

As always, feel free to review or PM me. Even though I don't respond to reviews, I learn a great deal from them and take them to heart every time I write. I really appreciate your input, and it always makes it easier for me to understand what the reader needs.

 **Question:** Is there any real difference between a regular Geass and a evolved one? In the show, Lelouch's Geass undergoes no noticeable change when his evolves (except for double the creepy face). I mean, the concept of an 'evolved Geass' seems rather strange to me, especially when it is such an important step to achieving immortality. Maybe that's all there is to it? Just a 'see-if-you-qualify-for-eternal-life-today'? Anywho, I plan to make some minor manipulations to the level-up, simply to indicate **some** minor improvement in an evolved Geass.

Enjoy.

8 - The Birth of an Idea

" _Thinking will not overcome fear, but action will_." - William C. Stone

As a Prince of Britannia, Lelouch was very used to the many luxuries of the higher class, and was hardly daunted in the face of social status. However, he was still impressed as he entered the vacation home of Baron Samus Foxglove, one of the chief members of the Britannian Mining Conglomerate. The man had somehow managed to keep the house _relatively_ small, while still allowing a _massive_ amount of wealth and status to be displayed. Perhaps it was the rich, handcrafted furniture, or maybe the elaborate fountain which had several precious stones built into it.

However, it wasn't this man's possessions that Lelouch sought, at least not yet. Instead, he merely need some means to fund his little schemes. This man, who had massive amounts of wealth and was famous for his extravagant art commissions (little wonder why this man was favored by Clovis), happened to also own a fleet of vehicles that had been used as payment for a prior debt from Viscount Pearson, who was a shareholder in a luxury car company. Lelouch had stumbled upon that tidbit a while before when he had playing against the aforementioned noble, and now he was actually using it.

"So you're the one that beat Pearson, huh?" The bearded baron appraisingly evaluated Lelouch before giving a short chuckle. "Shouldn't you be in school, boy? Or did you just decide to skip?"

Lelouch gave a smile before responding, "What good is school when I already am competing against the greatest minds in Area 11?"

Foxglove laughed again and shook his head, holding out his hand to Lelouch for a shake. As the two sat down, he smiled at the boy. "I can't say I fault you with your endeavors, kid. However, I'm sad to say that I'm hardly a chess player. I've always been more of a 'checkers man' myself, actually. So if you're looking to completely defeat me like you did to Pearson, I'm going to have to decline."

"Well, that's a shame, Lord Foxglove. I was looking forwards to playing you in a game or two. However, it's alright. I actually came here for something else."

Lelouch exited Foxglove's vacation home around two hundred thousand Britannian pounds wealthier, as well as now being the owner to an unused van that just so happened to be able to accommodate for a group of ten people. How conveniently fortunate for the Black Knights.

* * *

"Sorry, Shirley." Lelouch glanced up from the budget he was currently reviewing. "I've got too much going on this weekend to be able to join you. Have fun with Milly and Nina, though. Kagawachi is beautiful this time of year."

"O-oh, it's alright, I guess." Shirley looked down, before drawing a sharp breath and narrowing her eyes. "Say, you wouldn't happen to be gambling this weekend, _Lulu_?"

Lelouch shivered as he watched the normally cute and upbeat girl turned into a force of nature. "Well... You see..."

Shirley puffed out her cheeks in frustration and waved her finger. "Lulu, you promised me a month ago that you were going to stop! There's some very dangerous people in that business!"

" _I forgot about that._ " Lelouch sighed, hanging his head and waving his hands in feigned defeat. "I know, I know. I'm really sorry, Shirley, and I really mean it."

Shirley shook her head, her bangs almost totally covering her disappointed face. "What do you think will happen if you get hurt? If something were to happen to you, we'd all be devastated. Not just Nunnally, but the Student Council too. We're your family."

Lelouch was stunned by the emotional weight of Shirley's words. Sure, he knew he could trust the Student Council, but to call them family...

"Lulu?" Lelouch stared into Shirley's eyes, and saw concern.

"Yes, Shirley?"

"Please promise me that you'll be extra careful? Okay?"

Lelouch stood and made a sweeping bow, smiling at the girl. "On my honor."

He chuckled when he heard her grumble about how little honor he had, but let it pass. "Shirley, you be careful as well."

Shirley flushed, but still managed a response. "We're only going out to Lake Kawaguchi. I don't think we're going to encounter a quarter the amount of indecent people over the whole weekend as you do at your 'job'."

Lelouch nodded, resigned to the fact that he probably would be plagued by more of these scoldings in the near future.

As she walked out of the room, she fixed Lelouch with another frown. "One of these days, I'm going to finally get Prez and Nunna to help me stop your bad habits! You should feel lucky that they allow you to go out!" Her part spoken, she stepped out of the room.

The chastised prince went back to his paperwork, wondering what he'd do if Nunnally and Milly got on his case. " _I'll figure something out. Just... Not Geass._ "

As Shirley walked down the hall, she gave yet another sigh as she rubbed her eyes tiredly. Her heart rate had yet to slow down after being so close and direct with Lelouch. " _Why does he have to gamble all the time. Why can't he just stay in school and do his work? I swear, that boy is-_ "

"Nya-Ha!" A certain blonde leaped out from around a corner and put her hands on her hips.

Immediately jumping back, Shirley screamed. "Wha-?! Prez, don't do that! You scared me!"

"So what were you doing in there with _Lulu~_? Hmm? Nothing _too_ inappropriate, I hope..."

"It-it's not like that, you pervert!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You already told me that you were going to invite everyone. Of course, leave it to you for you to start end up worrying over Lelouch and his little habits..."

Lelouch walked past, boredom practically seeping from his gait. "It's not just a habit," he casually protested, "it's a means of income." He leaned against the wall, looking at both of the girls. "Shirley also wants to recruit you and Nunnally to stop me, President."

Milly raised her hands as Shirley and Lelouch had a staring contest. "I won't stop you, Lulu. As long as you're safe." She let a devilish grin slip onto her face as she winked to Shirley. "Although, I think that Nunnally would be very glad to have someone help her get her brother in control."

Lelouch gave off a stifled choke and glanced at Milly, who was smiling evilly at him. Shirley, now the victor in the glaring showdown, grinned and stuck her tongue out at Lelouch, who responded in kind, albeit with a much more dignified expression.

Milly smiled. "Ah, well, I won't take sides for the time being. I'd like to see how the 'Shirley-Nunnally' Alliance turns out before picking sides. If I hear about any more trouble or violence when you should be doing P.E, I might have to join them."

"Violence, eh? Hey, Lelouch, we never did tell them about that time a month ago when that-" Rivalz stopped as he turned the corner and saw a wide range of emotions being expressed before him. Lelouch showed desperation, Shirley showed delighted interest, and Milly showed basic curiosity. "Eh, what's going on?"

Shirley spoke first. "What were you about to say, Rivalz? What happened?"

Lelouch shook his head. "Don't do it, Rivalz! They're trying to stop our side job!"

Rivalz took a single step back, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Milly chimed in. "C'mon, Rivalz! Spill the beans!"

Lelouch spun to face her. "You... You said you were neutral!"

Flashing peace signs, the class president smiled sunnily. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Just don't say anything Rivalz!"

"Rivalz, I'll let you keep your champagne next time!"

"Well, um-"

Milly appeared from behind him, locking an arm around his neck. "Well, Rivalz? Are you going to tell us? Or else..." She quickly brushed her fingers along his side, forcing him to stifle a giggle.

Lelouch rubbed his face tiredly and slowly started edging towards the door.

"No nono no! That tickles! Ahaha!"

Milly grinned victoriously as she continued her relentless attack. "Just tell us what happened! It will all stop then!"

"Alright, alright! Haha! We were - aha!- we were caught in a gunfight! Ahaha! Stop! Stop!"

Milly finally stopped and let go of him, allowing Rivalz to drop to the ground. She turned to Shirley, who then looked at Lelouch... or rather the spot Lelouch was just occupying.

"Damnit, Rivalz!" Lelouch cursed his ticklish friend as he ran down the hall. " _How much will Zero be impacted by this?_ "

"Lelouch!" Shirley sprinted up from behind him, intent on stopping him.

" _Alas, this is a fight where I'm truly outclassed. Even with a head start, I-_ "

Shirley was alarmed that she couldn't slow down, as her shoes had little traction on the carpeted floor. "Woaaaah!"

The two teenagers tumbled to the ground, Lelouch being caught underneath Shirley. As Lelouch blinked the stars out of his eyes, he realized that Shirley was pinning him with her weight.

"Shirley, please let me go."

"No way! How could I let you go out when you're nearly getting killed?!"

"Rivalz was really exaggerating, Shirley. We weren't the ones being shot at. We just happened to be in the area." He raised his head, but he only got a light slap for his troubles.

The door in front of them opened, and Nina and Kallen walked through. They both halted at the sight before them.

"Uhhh," Kallen paused, considering how to proceed. "what's going on?"

"Milly and I are putting an end to Lulu's and Rivalz's gambling trips once and for all!"

Nina finally spoke up, her face flushed and her eyes averted. "But, i-in that p-position?!"

Shirley stopped, trying to understand what the timid genius meant. " _What position? I'm just here... On top of Lulu...?_ " Then, she blushed deeply as it hit her. Rolling awkwardly off of Lelouch, she shook her head and waved her hands frantically. "It's not like that! I was just trying to prevent his escape!" She closed her eyes and took deep breaths, before opening them. "Lulu, you tell the-HE'S GONE AGAIN!"

" _Excellent._ " Lelouch grinned victoriously as he made his way underground. " _I doubt even Milly is as familiar with these tunnels as I am. There's no way that they can hope to find me in time._ " He opened his phone and texted Rivalz.

 **Going out for some eggs and bacon. The line might be long. No breakfast for you, traitor.**

 **\- Lelouch**

* * *

" _A fine drink._ " Kusakabe nodded approvingly as he took another sip from his _ochoko_. Around him, various JLF soldiers talked, elated over the success of the operation thus far. They too were drinking sake in celebration. While he typically prefered to have completely sober soldiers on the mission, Josui felt that they all deserved a drink on a job like this.

When Britannia attacked, Kusakabe was responsible for the defense of the Tokushima Prefecture, a place that he was prepared to die for in order to protect. However, through basic strategy, split-second decisions, windy weather, and sheer luck, he managed to lock down and repel Britannian ships temporarily, a feat that he was truly proud of.

Though the land eventually fell into the filthy hands of the Britannian pigs, he was rewarded for his actions with a promotion and a personal congratulations from the Prime Minister himself. The man was so impressed by the stalemate (a rare victory in of itself) that he had presented Kusakabe with a fine katana. Of course, Todoh Kyoshiro was able to pull off a devastating strike a few days later, so Kusakabe's act was completely forgotten by all but few. But Josui had also cheered at Kyoshiro's victory, glad that Britannians were finally bleeding for their actions.

" _It would be nice to sit here forever, drink in hand, remembering our Japan_." Kusakabe thought pleasantly. " _But there are still those that dare to defile our nation. There's still an illness upon this land, which must be chewed up and spat out._ " He rose, causing the chatter to cease. "Soldiers!" He turned, addressing the amassed troops. "This is a historic day for Japan! Not only have we managed to take a landmark of Britannia, but we have also seemed to have rounded up a bunch of pigs in the process!"

The Japanese Liberation Front detachment laughed, cheering at the mention of their hostages. "We shall make the Britannians rue the day that they took on the Japanese! We are strong, and we are proud! With this first step, the JLF has made it clear that we will stand and fight! Even that fool, Zero, has taken up arms, so what's stopping us?!"

A louder cheer shook the room.

"Long Live Japan!"

"LONG LIVE JAPAN!"

* * *

" _Please be okay..._ " Zero strode down the hallway, gunfire sounding from around a corner. " _I could never forgive myself if any of you were hurt..._ "

Kallen gritted her teeth as yet another JLF soldier fell, his face expressing confusion to have been shot by a fellow Japanese. " _Zero made it sound so easy... It was just doing the work of justice... But now, to be actually killing Japanese..._ " She shook her head. " _This is different. These are criminals, right? They're people who decided to kill innocent citizens, and even the Student Council was caught in it... Naoto said that we should only act where action is needed. That's what Zero meant too. There's a difference between Britannia and its people... I hope._ "

* * *

"Please stop!"

"What'd you say, _bitch_?"

"I said to unhand her!"

"Who the hell do you think you are, Britannian?!"

"Take me to your leader! I am-"

There was the brief sound of metal meeting concrete for a single instance, before all of the occupants of the room were stunned by the flash grenade. Euphemia fell backwards awkwardly as she squeezed her eyes closed. There was a short burst of gunfire as black-clothed figures filed into the room and quickly executed the downed JLF men. Britannians screamed as they were faced by even scarier soldiers, this time masked and wielding apparently better weapons than their predecessors. However, what really took the cake was the manner that they suddenly parted, quiet as the crisp staccato of previously unheard footsteps grew louder. The walk had a brisk, yet strong beat to it, indicating purpose and power to the listener. And indeed, the owner of the stride had all of these qualities.

Once could hear a feather hit the ground as the known regicide stepped into the room, his cloak gently swaying from his movement. Like a demon, he exuded a power that made one wish to cease existing. His very presence sucked the breath out of the Student Council, and forced Euphemia to bring a hand to her mouth in fear of whimpering aloud.

"Good evening, my dear Britannians. I am Zero." They all knew who he was, but the statement still had such profound meaning. This was _Him_ , Murderer of the Former Viceroy of the Eleventh Imperial Colony and Enemy of the Empire.

"And you are now under our control." Gasps echoed through the crowd. "However, you need not worry; we came here to rescue you. I have no intention to let any one of you be harmed, especially after promising Princess Cornelia that we would protect you."

He strode forwards, Britannians hurriedly parting before him. He stopped before a girl getting up from her fallen position on the floor, staring at him with curious and fearful eyes. Then, he bowed.

Euphemia had no idea why the man who had killed her half-brother was bowing before her, but it terrified her. He had _known_ who she was, and he chose to not simply escort her to the rooftop and throw her over. The princess was unsure if this was some sardonic joke, or perhaps even a genuine gesture. Regardless, she had no idea how to respond without risking a violent response.

Fortunately, she didn't have to. Zero rose from his bow and spoke, "It's a pleasure to be in your presence once again, Princess Euphemia li Britannia."

Euphemia swallowed her fear and stood up. "I suppose it's an honor to finally meet you, Zero. Though, I don't remember ever meeting you before."

"Indeed, I wasn't expecting that you would recall me, even if I showed you a picture of myself back then. It was a long time ago, and I can assure you that it just in passing."

"Strange. I think that I would remember even such a small encounter a character such as yourself, especially with such an interesting face."

Zero scoffed. "True, but faces can change over time, Sub-Viceroy. Yours, for example, has grown all the more beautiful with time. Though, I wonder... I heard your voice outside, Princess. Were you speaking to your captors?"

"I was. I wasn't able to sit by and watch as innocent people were punished for something they had no hand in." Her eyes darted to the schoolchildren in the corner, and she dared to offer a quick smile.

"So you gave yourself up for some commoners, huh? You haven't changed one bit. Come, walk with me as I go visit Kusakabe. I would like to continue catching up before we must part once again."

"Princess, please don't!" Euphemia's designated caretaker pleaded, her eyes darting between her charge and the terrorist. "He killed Prince Clovis! He'll surely do the same to you!"

Euphemia turned to Zero, her index finger tapping her chin in faux contemplation. "Hmm... That's right. Why should I trust you, Zero? You killed my brother, Clovis, after all. Why did you kill my brother?"

"Simple: Your brother was an enemy, a Son of Britannia." Zero calmly pulled a gun from underneath his cloak as he spoke with cold disgust. "That reminds me: You're a child of the Emperor as well, aren't you?"

Gasps and whimpers rose from the scared Britannians. The Princess shivered at the sight of the terrorist's true intentions, but she stood firm. She was Euphemia li Britannia, and she wasn't going to die without her dignity. "So that's why you killed Clovis? Because of his birth? Doesn't that contradict your claims of fighting discrimination?" She looked at the masked figures that were surrounding Zero, some of whom shifted uncomfortably in her gaze.

Lelouch continued pointing the gun at her. His index finger twitched. " _How clever, Euphie. You target my subordinates with the argument so that they would be uneasy with your death. Fortunately for everyone, I don't need to kill you anyways..._ "

Zero stashed the pistol away. "An astute observation, Dear Princess. You're absolutely right; I killed the Prince not because of his blood, but because of his actions. I would tell you more... But as much as I wish to continue this discussion, I really must being going now."

"I apologize, Zero, but I'm going to have to decline your offer. I have a duty to look after these people, and I intend to watch over them as you enact your plans."

"A shame. Perhaps another time, then." He swept his vision across the crowd. "You all have my word that you will be safe. As I said earlier: we have no reason to harm you. We are but guardians, protecting those who are helpless. While we prepare to leave, I shall have my trusted troops escort you to a more comfortable space." He gestured to Ohgi and Inoue, the two of whom hesitantly nodded. "It has been a pleasure." With that, Zero and his sweeping cape exited the room.

* * *

Kusakabe was frowning as he meditated. The hostage team had failed to make their reports as ordered. This was very worrisome. It could possibly mean that they were too preoccupied to address the radio prompt, or they already had been disposed of. While Kusakabe doubted that the hostages had managed to get the better of his guard, it would be perfectly _Britannian_ of them to have hidden weapon on their person. No doubt they could have played the part of a cowardly prisoner, lying in wait until the perfect opportunity to strike arose.

However, that was still only one option. The second and more frightening possibility that Zero and his merry gang of rabble-rousers were aiding the accursed Britannians. While it was laughable to think that a _Japanese_ terrorist group would help Britannians, Josui couldn't help but worry. He ordered his men to secure the entrances to the conference room and basement, just in case this was actually a threat, and not just a technical error with the radios.

If nothing else, they would fight until their last. That was their solemn oath, their eternal vow. " _We swear ourselves to our nation and to our people, to our law and our honor. With our last breath, we will become eternal. Long Live Japan._ "

"Hamamoto! Ashiya! Sweep the west staircase and report back once you reach the second floor down!"

"Roger!"

Kusakabe paced as the two men stepped out of the room. He typically liked to know where the enemy was, but now he didn't even know where his own troops were...

Kusakabe spun around as the doors opened. " _Who-_ "

The caped terrorist stood, targeted by JLF soldiers. "Greetings, Lieutenant Colonel."

"Zero! Do you have anything to do with this?"

The masked man tilted his head, apparently confused. "With what? I obviously didn't participate in the hijacking."

Kusakabe ground his teeth in impatience. "No, not that! My soldiers haven't been responding! Did you sabotage our mission?"

"Hm? Oh, I did."

Kusakabe drew his blade as his men put Zero into their guns' crosshairs. His breath came in gasps as his body tremored with unparalleled rage. "You...! How _dare_ you attack my men and compromise our operation?! You bastard! You made a mistake coming here!"

"Before you kill me, I must ask: Why did you do this?"

Kusakabe took deep breaths as he granted Zero his last wish. "Idiot! To show that we still stand! To show that the blood of Japan lives on! Something you clearly don't understand! We were going to force the Viceroy into either killing her own people, or watching them die!"

" _How simple. They went through this whole suicide operation and killed several people just because of pride, huh?"_ As his mask slid of his face, his eyes brightened as he saw the soldiers' faces.

"You... but you...! You are...!"

Lelouch wetted his lips as he savored their shocked expressions. "Well said. Now _**die**_."

* * *

The smoke swirled across the water, making the Black Knights' exit all the more dramatic. As their ship slowly sliced through the thick clouds, Lelouch smiled from behind his mask. " _The pieces have been secured, and Cornelia is caught in check. All conditions have been cleared._ " He refrained from stretching out his legs. The fall to the net hadn't been painful, but it hadn't been exactly comfortable, either. However, Zero was still surrounded by his troops, so he was required to be as unflappable as possible.

He could hear screams and wails from the spectators onshore. " _The stage is set... Now, we may start the show._ " He gestured to Oghi, who dutifully pressed the 'Run' button before stepping back into his designated position.

"There's no need to fret, my dear Britannians." A deep, cultured voice echoed across the colony, calling forth tides of emotions in people's hearts. For some, this voice meant fear and danger, a sure sign of ill intent. For others, this voice symbolized hope, a beacon of light.

"All of the hostages from the hotel have been saved. And thus, I return them to you."

A series of lights flickered on, illuminating Zero and several masked characters. Zero's voice took on a grandiose tone as he addressed the audience. "People of this World, seek us or flee us as you please! We are the ones who follow only the banner of justice! We are the ones who fight for basic humanity!" Zero took in a deep breath. "We... are the Black Knights!"

"When the strong abuse their power, we shall emerge! It is true... Strength arises from conflict! However, one-sided extortion and murder is simply mindless cruelty and evil without purpose! This is why we chose to make a stand! The Black Knights shall aid those who are too weak to defend themselves!" Despite being digitally altered, Zero's voice conveyed passion that rivaled even some of the Emperor's speeches. Every word was sung, not spoken. Every pause wasn't just a lapse in speech; it was a moment of tranquil preparation.

"Regardless of whether you're Japanese or Britannian, we will fight! The Japan Liberation Front chose to capture and kill unarmed civilians. In turn, we punished them for their unjust actions. And after his orders to slaughter hundreds of unarmed people, Clovis also received his dues. The only ones who should kill are those prepared to be killed!"

* * *

Schneizel looked up from the newspaper to the television. His lips twisted into an imperceptible smile. " _Now, that's a familiar philosophy. You're an interesting character, Zero... Perhaps you like that phrasing as well?_ "

* * *

Zero threw his left arm out, his cloak billowing behind him. "Those of you with power, fear me!" His hand was clenched, as though he was holding the beating heart of his foe in a tight grasp.

His right arm quickly followed suit, "Those of you without, seek me!" His palm was open as he raised it to the sky, like a conductor leading a crescendoing orchestra.

Lelouch basked in the attention of Britannia as he spoke with palpable power. "For we, the Black Knights, shall stand in judgement of this world!"

* * *

"That went well." C.C. commented as Lelouch sank into his chair. "Though, I wonder what your alibi is going to be this time."

Lelouch's eyes met hers. "What?"  
C.C. stretched out like a cat. "You're so reckless, you know? Even I can tell that you're drawing unwanted attention from your friends. If you let them keep on wondering, then they might start trying to get involved." Her eyes hardened. "I don't need you distracted on the battlefield, Lelouch."

"That's none of your concern. This isn't the first time I've been out during the night. They believe that I'm gambling, and nothing more."

"I heard you talking to your sister earlier, Lelouch. She didn't sound too happy. You should be more careful how you spend your time. Fighting multiple battles on different fronts will eventually be your downfall. Trust me, I know."  
As he shook his head, Lelouch chuckled. "I can take care of my friends, C.C."

* * *

Lelouch enjoyed the next day napping in class. He had grown to be an expert at taking quick power naps, as he had trained ever since his days in the palace, where he always found himself bored during his lessons. Then, in Japan, he had to survive on the small amount of sleep he could get in between terrifying nightmares. The dreams had continued for a few years, ultimately leading to him being able to survive off of short periods of shut-eye.

Of course, the only problem with sleeping in class was the teachers. Despite his frequent absences, Lelouch managed to keep his grades up, which annoyed many of his instructors as it went on. Now, they delighted on attempting to pounce on him while they suspected he was asleep. " _I suppose I do deserve it though..._ " He thought drowsily.

Thankfully, his teachers had been focused on lectures for the day. In short, it was a blissful break from his active nightlife.

* * *

"My Princess, you summoned me."

"I did, Lord Gottwald. Tell me, what do you think of Zero?"

Jeremiah shot a questioning look at the princess. "Forgive my ignorance, Your Highness, but I... don't understand what Your Highness is referring to specifically. Do you mean his terrorism? Himself?"

Cornelia signed another paper and dipped her quill into the inkwell, still not looking at Jeremiah. "I was wondering what thoughts you had on Zero himself. Who is he? What does he want?"

The lord spoke plainly. "I believe he is more than a terrorist, My Princess. All his resources and connections... I fear that he has close ties with Britannian extremists. In fact, it's possible that he himself is a Britannian."

"Mm. Zero claimed to have met Euphie in the past, too... Go on."

"I think that Zero isn't yet a threat to us, but he is definitely dangerous. He's shown that he's familiar with our operations, and his guerilla fighting techniques are difficult to manage. I'm not sure what he's after, but I don't think that he's actually buying into that load of bull that he said last night. My guess is that he has some outside motive, probably something that he wants from Britannia."

There was a rather plain lull in the discussion, with the only sound being the quill scratching on paper. After around a minute of this, Cornelia spoke again. "Lord Gottwald, regarding your position."

Jeremiah's heart sank. " _I shouldn't have protested her command in the ghetto the other day. I should've just accepted her orders._ "

"You'll be allowed to lead one of the flanks in the upcoming raid on Narita."

Cornelia winced at the sound of Jeremiah's knee impacting the ground as he kneeled. But, for Gottwald, any thoughts of pain were gone. " _Even though I have not yet captured Zero... Even though I have yet to fully regain my honor...!_ " "I'll do my duty, Your Highness!"

The princess smirked. "At ease, Major General Gottwald. I hope you haven't gotten too rusty with your knightmare. It's always good to have another ace in our ranks."

* * *

"Lelouch!"

Lelouch kept a firm hold on his knightmare ace as he watched the gang of Britannians. "There's five of them, and only one of you. You'd never win."

"Are you saying that I should just ignore them?"

"Look carefully at that Eleven. If we were to help him, and we ended up winning, he wouldn't be able to work around here anymore. He could be reported for attacking Britannians, and he could have his status revoked, or he could even be killed. He chose to be here. Thid is the price of working in the Settlement."

"But-"

"You got a problem?" The unseemly teenagers slouched over to the Ashford students. "Feeling sorry for the Eleven?"

"Nah, they wanna join in, don'chya?"

" _Scum._ " Lelouch scoffed. "Hardly. It's not for me. _**But you're tired of bullying Elevens now, aren't you?**_ "

* * *

"In a way, Area Eleven is better than the old Japan. With the occupation, the economy and military has been bolstered greatly. If they want, Elevens can even apply for citizenship." Lelouch repressed a smirk as he imagined how upset Kallen was getting. "Really, it's just a matter of pride. Which I can understand, I suppose."

"So?"  
"Huh?"

"So what does Lelouch Lamperouge want to do about it?"

"Nothing, really."

"It's just as Shirley says: You're smart, but you don't use your head for anything."

" _This feels too much like a conversation with C.C._ " Lelouch frowned. " _Why am I always the one being interrogated?_ " He coughed. "Well then, what does Kallen Stadtfeld want to do about it?"

"Eh?"

"Well, you seem interested in helping out the Elevens, and you looked like you wanted to fight those thugs earlier. Do you have anything in mind?"

"Well, ah..."

" _And this is supposed to be one of my top officers_." Lelouch shook his head. "Kallen, let me be honest with you." He turned and looked her in the eyes. "You need to do a better job hiding your secret."

Kallen's eyes widened in alarm, but she quickly hid her emotion. "Secret? What secret?"

"I know that you aren't fully Britannian."

" _Another threat._ " The redhead sighed and clenched her fists. "So the School President told you, huh?"

"Oh, Milly knows already? No, I figured it out for myself."

"And? What do you want from me? Are you going to blackmail me?"

"Nothing like that. I just want to let you know that you are too easy to read. You are quick to defend Elevens, which is something no noblewoman ever would do. You were even considering fighting off several people over one Eleven, right? That's something that would be impossible in your... _condition_."

Kallen took note of the pause, narrowing her eyes in distrust. "So you... you're fine with this?"

"I have no reason to involve myself in this. I couldn't care less what race you are, of all things"

"You seem awfully calm about this. Shouldn't you be saying something about 'Britannian pride' and 'purity'?"

"I'm sure that Milly was just as accepting as I am."

Kallen leaned back, trying to gather her thoughts. "You're... different than I thought you were."

"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover."

"Well, what if that book is an irresponsible gambler?"

"Oh? For your information, I'm a very responsible gambler. Just because I like to have a little fun, you're going to make assumptions of me? What about you? I heard that you're almost missing as much class as I am."

"I've got to get checked fairly by the doctor."

"Ah, yes. Because you're ' _sick'_ , right?"

"What's with the skepticism? I really am." " _Sick of Britannia, that is._ "

"Mhm... You sure don't act like it, though. Again, you need to do better than that, Kallen."

Kallen cursed internally and grabbed her purse for reassurance. " _Why the hell does he know everything?! If worse comes to worse..._ "

"... But I still don't care what you do. Just make sure to leave the Student Council and my sister out of whatever you're up to... Though I imagine it's not as dangerous as my activities."

"So, what do you do that's so dangerous?" Kallen leaped on the opportunity to redirect the conversation. This had become far too personal for her comfort. "From what I heard, you got in trouble with Shirley because you were in a shootout."

Lelouch idly noted how eager Kallen was to change the subject, but allowed it to happen. "She exaggerated, but there's more to it than just guns."

"... Well?" Kallen was now interested. What could be more dangerous than gun fights? Besides gunfights whilst astride giant fighting robots, of course.

"I've been gambling for a while now... You can't really call it gambling anymore, considering how I never lose. Since everyone _thinks_ that they can play chess, they're usually willing to bet money against someone my age. The richer they are, the more prideful they are. But sometimes, they don't want to pay. They don't accept the fact that they were beaten by a mere schoolboy. So..."

"What?" Now this _was_ interesting to Kallen. When people said gambling, that usually meant card games or slot machines in casinos, not private matches against wealthy people. Dangerous wealthy people.

"They threaten to silence me. Permanently. It wouldn't do well for Lord So-And-So's reputation to have been bested in Britannia's favorite intellectual sport, and by a child of all things. The funny thing is that they're never able to act on it. They always think that I have connections with some powerful figure, or the mafia, or even the remnants of the Elevens' Yakuza. I heard that there's speculation that I have ties to Duke Calares."

"So they think you're untouchable, huh?"

"Yeah... You don't plan to tell the Council, do you?" Lelouch eyed his colleague in crime and education warily. He had been rambling too much, in retrospect. "I don't want to have to deal with them when you tell them."

The girl's eye glinted. "How about we make a deal? You don't tell anyone about my situation, and I'll keep my mouth closed on yours?"

" _So much for building trust_." Lelouch sighed. "I already told you that I don't care, but fine. I accept your conditions."

They sat in silence for a good while, with nothing to keep them occupied but the beautiful scenery. After some time, the prince stood and stretched.

"It's been fun, Kallen. See you later."

"Wait!" Kallen rose. "About earlier..." She glanced around nervously. "Thank you. I-I just wasn't able to keep a clear head, and I could've caused a lot of problems for everyone, so... Thanks."

There was a gentle breeze as Lelouch nodded and began walking away. "It was nothing, Kallen. After all, isn't it our job to help those that can't help themselves?"

* * *

"No, I'll be fine. I just need some time to think..." The young boy dismissed his guard, who saluted him and marched a short distance away

Now without any spectators, Ivan allowed his tears to fall. His favorite cousin, Quinn, died the day prior from a poisoned chocolate. With the lethal dose of strychnine he received, Quinn never stood a chance. Ivan was infuriated with the death, having only heard about it _two days_ after it had happened.

" _Why? Why did it have to be him?!_ "

He walked off randomly, slowly making his way into the cluster of trees that he loved to play in. But today was too sad of a day for climbing trees.

"Why do you cry, small one?" Ivan spun around to see a tall, slim man regard him from a distance. The intruder appeared to be a peasant, what with his baggy pants and his patched jacket. However, he still had an air of confidence that demanded respect.

"Who are you? What are you doing on my property?" Ivan backed away slowly, not allowing his eyes to look away from the stranger. "It's illegal for you to be here!"

Laughing, the man ran a hand through his blood-red hair. "Come now, little one! I mean no harm!" He stalked closer.

" _Where are those stupid soldiers when you need them?!_ " Ivan trembled, and slowly crept his hand into his pocket. "Stay away!"

"Hey, now, I just want to say hell-" The man stopped, and looked down to see the hilt of a small knife protruding from his abdomen. "Oh."

The man stopped and regarded the child with interest. There seemed to be something within the young one... a spark that had yet to be ignited. He had will and he had intelligence. All that remained was for him to find his direction.

" _Perfect._ "

Blood coated the man's hands as he brushed his fingers along the wound. He still felt pain after all these years, but he valued it. The Code had taught him many things, and one of its teachings was that pleasure could only be experienced if pain was also experienced. " _This wound,_ " he thought " _is just another trial on the path to happiness. It is a reminder..._ "

He staggered as he wrenched the bloody blade from his body, and sighed as his regenerative powers quickly mended flesh and organs.

"I-impossible!" The boy gaped openly, his eyes mixed between revulsion and awe. "How did you do that?""It's a simple thing, really. All you need to have are the right tools. Would you like to learn more?" He grinned kindly to the child, just long enough for his hand to grasp the boy's arm.

Ivan fell through reality.

" _ **You are scared.**_ "

Images of Ivan's late cousin flashed across his vision. Then, those memories transformed into boxes of chocolates that danced around, each sugary treat containing a miniature skull.

" _ **You wish to protect**_."

Charles. His brother, Charles. His best friend, Charles. His greatest rival, Charles. His one constant, Charles.

" _ **And there's more to come.**_ "

Blood splashed across expensive carpets and tainted drinks spilled onto beautiful tapestries. Smiling traitors and unintentional villains. Lords and ladies, peasants and knights. A giant network of conflicting agendas, ready to ignite into the flames of war. _Liars everywhere._

" _ **You know that they will target you... and your brother.**_ "

He couldn't let it happen. Never. He had no desire to let his brother be consumed in this ridiculous feud.

" _ **Would you prefer to be the game or the hunter?**_ "

Yes, better to kill than be killed.

" _ **What if you had power?**_ "

Power was good. They could use their strength to win. Victory meant survival.

" _ **I can grant you a means to grow stronger. You will become greater than any human, capable of so much more... In exchange, I ask for little; all I want is material wealth. A small price to pay for a power unlike any other.**_ "

He had plenty of money. Luxury was easy to come by in his position. It was worth the exchange for something that would allow him to dominate the masses of cowards and thieves.

" _ **Do you wish to accept?**_ "

" _Yes! I agree to this deal!_ "

The contractor and contractee returned to reality. Ivan took deep breaths as he felt a new sensation wash over him.

"W-What is this?"

"Why, young lord, isn't it obvious? I have fulfilled your dreams, and delivered all the world at your feet! All you need to do is tap into your strength! Call forth the Power of Kings."

Ivan shook with effort, and eventually something happened. His eye lit up into a brilliant sea of reds and oranges, before the image of a bird emerged.

"Hm... I've only seen that once before... Several decades ago..." The immortal tried to recall what the exact abilities were, but he was too tired to put any effort into it.

"I ask again: Who are you?"

" _Not so much as a 'Thank you'. You were right, C.C._ " He cleared his throat, brushing his hair once again. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ivan zi Britannia. I am A.A."


	9. 9 - The Rolling Stones

Hello. It's been a while, hasn't it?

I honestly didn't expect for it to take this long to update. I've had this chapter completed for months now, but I never really got around to actually publishing it. You know, I never thought that college apps and high school could be such a burden. Oh well. Happy Mid-Winter Early Spring?

I've got a few things I'd like to say. First of all, **I'm impressed by the amount of people who have read and responded to these little messages before each chapter.** The dialogue I've received (compliments, suggestions, and critique) have all been very insightful. They've not only helped develop this story and my perception of the character's roles, but has also changed my general writing style and perception of the show.

 **Speaking of which, that reboot is happening. Frankly, I'm not all that excited for it.** Say what you will, but I don't believe that Code Geass needs an extension. I appreciate where it was left off, I thought that the OVAs were fairly interesting (not canonical in the slightest, but whatever), and that Akito the Exiled was/is a decent filler series to satisfy my need for increased depth. There's just something rather uninviting about a R3, but that's fine. I'll probably just wait until it's all out before looking up some reviews.

 **You may note that there are small formatting differences within the upcoming chapters.** Namely, the description of the date and time of the scene. When I initially wrote my chapters, I kept the date in mind and tried to indicate any significant time skips when they arose. At some point, however, I totally forgot about it. As I continued to write, I figured that it appealed to me as an element of readers connecting the dots, but after a constructing conversation with a reviewer, I realized how bad some of my transitions are. I'm making an effort to remedy these mistakes, but I'm _really_ not feeling up to going back into some of the previous chapters to sort through them.

 **Regarding my previous comments on the characters of the series** : This story has numerous reviews from people who disagree with my comments a while back on how I didn't want to include C.C. or Kallen in any sort of relationship with Lelouch. While I still favor my own views (it's not you, it's me), I feel that those people did a generally good job in justifying some of their character quirks (they can still piss me off at times, but that's fine).

Additionally, I've received a few reviews from people regarding some of the creative choices I've made (I haven't made that many yet, really), such as **nerfing Kallen.** I read a pretty well-stated review that argued that Kallen's backstory didn't warrant my need to reduce her power. While I still believe that Suzaku would be the superior pilot, **the whole matter got me thinking about the KMF situations. Here's my idea** : There are four central components of knightmare piloting: natural gifts (aces), physical prowess, experience, and technology (how good is the knightmare?). As far as my story is concerned, I think that **I'll let Kallen and Suzaku be roughly even**. While they're both aces, Kallen has more knightmare experience, and Suzaku is in a higher physical state. **With that in mind, let's honestly give the other knightmares a break. Yes, this includes Tamaki.** I always found it somewhat ridiculous how one-sided combat is in Code Geass when Kallen or Suzaku or some Knight of Rounds is involved. Yes, they've got a superior machine. Yes, they have their "ace" abilities activated. No, I don't think that they should be able to singlehandedly take on an army. I mean, seriously. I think that there should be more balance, especially since I'm of the belief that nearly any genetic gift (natural inclination towards strength or intellect or something) can be bypassed by training. I don't believe that aces should be able to easily stomp on people who have more than 10 years of experience piloting a knightmare in combat. Okay, when they're in a vastly superior unit that carries specialized weapons of mass destruction, sure. When it's a simply balanced duel, I think that there should be a bit more challenge before Kallen or Suzaku emerge victorious and scream "Zero!" at the top of their lungs for differening reasons. I understand that some of you might have some complaints about this choice, but this is something feels natural to a storyline. I realized the other day that one of my biggest anime pet peeves is when a character can just bypass the challenges that make a story a story. Maybe that's why I'm not that big of a fan of most of the 'Lelouch goes back in time, gets another Geass, and can have other people join him in the fun' stories. That's simply my case against most 'overpowered protagonists' in general, fanfiction or otherwise.

Sorry for getting off topic. Here's the next chapter. Also, the next chapter to be released won't be focused on Lelouch, but Charles.

9 - The Rolling Stones

" _Tactics means doing what you can with what you have._ " - Saul Alinsky

 **Somewhere the Saint Franciscan Providence, Holy Britannian Empire**

"Kanon."

"Yes, Your Excellency?"

"If I become emperor..."

" _When_ you become emperor..."

"Yes. When I become emperor, would you be willing to serve as my prime minister?"

The room was so suddenly quiet that Schneizel looked up from his chess game to see if Kanon had somehow disappeared. His aide was still there, though; the man was simply frozen with an incredulous expression on his face.

"I'm being serious, Kanon."

Kanon spoke with a completely upbeat tone. "With respect, I would rather kill myself than take up your job."

"Why? It's not as though I plan to completely ignore the affairs of my nation like _some other emperors_ _that had best go unnamed_."

"I realize that, but I still say no. If I had to do a quarter of the work that you do, I would go mad on the first day."

"But who else could I trust to aid my regime?"

"Sorry friend, but not me. I'll always be there to stab someone for you, or play blackjack, but not deal with politics. Perhaps Odysseus?"

Schneizel snorted. "Don't make me laugh. He'd probably only be good at foreign relations. I have no doubt that he'd be unable to control anything else."

"What about Guinevere?"

"A pretty face with a head of hot air. Her only purpose as is spreading rumors and her legs. The best thing I could do with her is having her blackmail the other noble families."

"Cornelia?"

"A rabid dog with a dependency on her sister. Even though she has her heart in the right place, she can't be diplomatic to save her life."

"Euphemia?"

"Too impulsive and empathetic. She has no interest in politics and too much interest in helping others."

"Ugh... Wait." Kanon leaped from his seat, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've got it! Truly, there is one who would be destined for the position of Prime Minister in your rule!"

"Oh? And who would that be?"

"Why, who other than the notorious..." Kanon dramatically brought a hand up to obscure his face. "Zero!"

Schneizel chuckled. "You're kidding. A terrorist as Prime Minister? The empire wouldn't last a day."

Kanon brought a hand up to his chest and set a foot down on the table. "Aha! That's where you're wrong! Imagine: you could be the dynamic duo that this empire needs! You could ensnare the hearts of the Britannian masses, while he rallies the Numbers to your side! You could promote order with one voice and empower justice with the other! The superb mixture of Machiavellianism and altruism! It would be the perfect combination!"

Schneizel stood and also struck a melodramatic pose, his voice matching the theatricality of his friend's. "Ah, yes! I can see it now! The wonderful Emperor Schneizel and the brilliant Zero would be the greatest team the world has ever seen! Legends shall be spoken of our shared wisdom and grace! It would be a true spectacle!" He brushed his hair with a dramatic flourish.

"Indeed! And together-!"

"We would be-!"

* * *

 **Area Eleven**

"-unstoppable! Your Highness, Zero is the target we should be most concerned with!" Colonel Walrond spoke stiffly, his single functioning eye not wavering from Cornelia's gaze. "As the coordinator of the last three counter-offensives on the JLF, I can confirm that they are drowning in logistical problems. They've lost their only two strengths: manpower and stealth."

General Alex spoke up. "I'm afraid that I must agree with him, Your Highness. Zero has proven himself to be a formidable adversary! The JLF have been nothing but a nuisance for the last several years!"

"Taking on the Black Knights head on while there are still rogue pieces in play is dangerous and simply inviting trouble." Cornelia smirked at the thought of likening the war to a game of chess, but she didn't banish the thought, given the personal significance of Area 11. In fact, it almost felt respectful to use chess terms in memory of her younger brother. " _Are you watching us all now, Lelouch? Nunnally? Are you cheering us on?_ "

She cleared her throat. "These JLF terrorists have been spawning far too much chaos in the Eleven population for too long. Our sources say that Zero still isn't entirely accepted by the wider Eleven population, and we are expending resources right now to keep it that way. We need to act as soon as possible to take out the outlying factors. Suppose that the Black Knights managed to merge with the JLF now. _-_ Zero would have access to a large amount of weaponry and troops!"

"Even still-"

"How do you suggest we find them? So far, we've only ever been able to track Zero's location hours after he'd been somewhere."

"But-"

Darlton stepped forwards, his chest puffed out. "Brigadier General, Her Highness has already given her reasons. Are you defying the orders of the Viceroy?"

The offender snapped to attention. "I apologize, Your Highness! My intentions were not to offend you!"

Cornelia nodded to him, then looked across the assembled group. "As I said before, our mission is to eliminate the Japanese Liberation Front stronghold. Recently, the Eleven population of Narita have started reporting suspicious vehicles and large groups of soldiers moving up and down the nearby mountain."

"Thanks to their cooperation, these Elevens have effectively narrowed down our search area by tenfold. Now, since we have a general idea on their location, our forces can completely encircle them."

"We will be launching a four-pronged attack up the mountain, with a cooperative-independent company structure. The objective is to eliminate as many JLF members as possible and to locate documents within their facility that detail their suppliers. The leaders of the four assault forces will be myself, Darlton, Alex, and Gottwald."

The crowd murmured and glanced at Jeremiah, who was touting a smug expression.

"I thought your radical group was dead, Gottwald." A nearby colonel smirked and raised her eyebrows. "I heard you were demoted."

"My faction may have fallen, but I continue on. The actions of my subordinate shouldn't be mistaken with my own."

"Our assault will be supported by one G-1 command unit, a medical facility," Cornelia's face twisted as she recalled the bitter realization she had faced just the day before, "a standard reserve force, and the ASEEC experimental unit."

* * *

 **One Day Prior**

"What do you mean ' _we don't have a report'_?!"

Guilford held the papers for his liege to see. "Your Highness, the doctors reported that there was no knightmare pilot treated for any wounds during the Saitama Ghetto purge. They directed my attention to the 100% fatality to reported casualty rate."

"Do we have an ID on the pilot?"

"Most of the troops say that his face was covered in too much blood to tell. The best thing we have was that his hair was black."

"You just described the majority of the Eleven population! That's all we have?!"

"I'm afraid so, Your Highness."

"What about the evac team?!" She was desperate now. They had been so close...

"They all say that they all had gaps in their memory right when Zero appeared."

"Why didn't I get a report of this?! We... We almost had it! We almost captured a solid connection to Zero, Darlton!"

Her loyal subordinate winced. "I... I know."

Cornelia groaned as she fell into her chair. "Our forces are being compromised by these stupid, filthy terrorists, and we don't even know if it until after it's over! Did we find the original pilot?"

"We found his body."

The princess grimaced and sighed. "Make sure that he gets a posthumous promotion. Also, we need to instate some of the identification policies so this thing doesn't happen again. I want you to draft up something, Darlton. It doesn't have to be too complicated."

"As you command."

* * *

"Jeremiah, I'm serious!" The dark-skinned knight scowled, the reports she had brought were scattered across her commanding officer's desk. "Even though it sounds ridiculous, there's still evidence that supports me!"

Margrave Gottwald tiredly rubbed his brow. "I understand, Villetta, and I agree with you; there's definitely something strange going on. If your theory proves correct, then it explains for why Zero was able to bypass our security so many times, and why Kewell turned traitor." He paused, looking warily at his subordinate. "But I simply don't have the time for these things, Villetta. Not since I was able to restore my position. Maybe after the Narita operation, but not now. I'm working hard to restore your rank, but I can't drop all that just to go after one lead. We have enemies here that are ready to tear us apart, and even chasing down Zero's contacts isn't worth it right now. However... If you really need help immediately, I suggest talking to that Diethard fellow. He might be the person you'll need."

Villetta fumed as she stood outside Jeremiah's office. Though she wholeheartedly respected the man, he really could be a completely ignorant idiot.

The knight frowned as she thought childishly, " _Some help you are, Jeremiah. When I capture Zero, I'll make you beg for just a tiny shred of credit."_

* * *

 **Ashford Academy**

Kallen was unusually quiet the next couple of days. Though Rivalz and Nina seemed to be entirely unaware of any changes, everyone else -including Suzaku- realized her mood change. Lelouch, of course, took the entirely passive approach and did nothing. Milly chose to simply be a bit less energetic around Kallen. Suzaku asked her what was wrong, and nodded politely when she dismissed his concerns. Shirley also openly wondered what the problem was, and hugged Kallen when she said that it was 'nothing'.

Of course, this prompted warm smiles from the entire council... except for Milly, who chose to start making perverted suggestions that prompted split reactions from the rest of the council: a third in revulsion, a third in wonder, and a final third in embarrassment.

Kallen and Shirley immediately leaped out of the friendly embrace with red faces, only to be grabbed by Milly and pulled into a group hug. Rivalz and Nina were each pulled into a dreamland that appealed to a more... primal mindset. Suzaku scratched his neck awkwardly as the flush in his face slowly faded away, and Lelouch (who had been enjoying the rather tender atmosphere just a moment before) frowned and silently thanked whatever greater power above that Nunnally wasn't there.

* * *

 **Temporary Black Knight Base**

" _Interesting._ " The documents Oghi had just handed Zero outlined a comprehensive report of a Britannian operation. And it was no small endeavor, either. Britannia was planning to attack the JLF Headquarters. Apparently, a journalist for HI-TV had included this in his application. " _This is a good opportunity to use the Gurren... And to test all of the recruits._ "

Zero snapped the folder closed. " _This information... It's almost makes too much sense to be a trap. Of course Cornelia would target the JLF; they were the ones who captured Euphie. She's responding in full force now... This 'Diethard' man may be the person I need, since he seems to be so intimate with the Britannian military._ "

He spoke to Oghi, who was still waiting for orders. "This weekend, we're going hiking."

"Huh?"

"... To the Narita Mountains."

"Oh... Well then, I better start getting everything ready." Oghi rushed away.

Zero turned to melt back into the shadows (like all cool people do) when Kallen, who was waiting off to the side, stammered, "W-Wait!"

He turned back, looking at the girl. "What is it, Kallen?"

Kozuki bit her lip and looked at the key to the massive knightmare next to her. "T-Thank you. For everything, that is. Without you..." She bowed to him, taking care to be as respectful as possible. "I will fight honorably for you!"

Zero stood still. "... There's something more." He glided forwards. "Does it regard your mother?"

Kallen straightened up and stepped backwards shortly. "Y-No! No... It isn't... just her."

"Tell me, Kallen. What's wrong?"

Kallen closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

Inhale.

" _I'm sorry, Nunnally... Lelouch..._ " It almost felt like betrayal, but it was her duty. Japan came before anyone else.

"There's a boy at my school... I think that he knows that I'm a terrorist."

Zero was silent. Kallen took it as a pass to continue.

"When I was talking to him a few days ago, he knew I was only half-Britannian, and he acted as though he knew what I was doing outside of school."

"Who is the boy?"

" _I'm so sorry, Nunnally._ " Kallen knew that she was doing the right thing, but it still felt so terrible. She had just robbed a girl of her elder brother, like Britannia had done to her. "His name is Lelouch-"

"-Lamperouge?"

Kallen blinked. Once. Twice. "Do you know him?"

Zero gave a chuckle, which sounded odd through his voice manipulator. "Of course. He's well-known in the Britannian underground. Besides... I've met him before."

Kallen opened her mouth, but no words came out. " _Lelouch knows Zero's identity?!_ "

"Rest assured, he doesn't know who I am. We only talked for a short while, and we played a game of chess."

"Who won?" Kallen found herself asking despite the great deal of more important questions.

"It was a stalemate."

There was silence.

"I hope that one day we can have a rematch. That game was unlike any other I played..." He chuckled again. "In response to your unasked question, there will be no reason to... silence him. Mister Lamperouge is far from our greatest concern."

* * *

 **A Few Days Later, Atop the Narita Mountains**

They had climbed the mountain at Narita willfully, and now they wished to back down. Couldn't they see that there was no escape? Lelouch had thought that the dozens upon dozens of knightmares surrounding the base of the Narita mountains would serve as ample motivation, but the "Knights of Justice" were now showing signs of cowardice. What had happened to their bravado?

" _Perhaps I overestimated them. They may have a tendency to endure conflict, but they aren't yet willing to throw themselves upon a battlefield._ " But that didn't change the fact that this was their test. Those who passed would go on to become true warriors. Those who failed would be consumed in the flames of war. At least they would die to defend one of the last strongholds of their nation.

Tamaki had yelled and pitched a fit. His stupidity coupled with his boldness was growing to be very irritating. Now, the loudmouth was challenging the commander's authority, something that was absolutely intolerable in any functioning military.

" _So be it._ " Without a single flourish or frivolous movement, Zero produced a handgun and aimed it at Tamaki, who was still pulling his own weapon off of his back. Oghi, who had been trying to reason with Zero, stepped out of the way and looked back and forth, seemingly unable to pick a side.

Then, in spite of the rapidity of his draw, Zero slowly pointed the gun up to his head, where he calmly rested the barrel against his side of mask.

The excavators chugged on through the Black Knights' silence.

"Our path of retreat has been cut off. If you think that you can survive without my guidance, then _shoot me_! Someone! Anyone! I am but a puppet with cut strings if you can lead better than me! My only purpose is to command, so kill me now if you refuse to follow!"

The Black Knights stared at him with wide eyes. If Zero died, then... what?

"Since you joined the Black Knights, you have had but two options: live with me, or _die_ with me!"

No one stepped forward. No one attempted to usurp command. Tamaki placed his gun on his back. "Fine, fine! You're in charge here!"

"Anyone _else_?" Zero tightened his grip on the weapon. "Now's the time to make your claim!"

No one wanted to.

"I'm glad that we could all come to an agreement." Zero put the gun back beneath his cloak. He turned away. "Now, we make our statement."

" **Attention Britannian forces. This is the Black Knights**." Zero taunted over an open channel.

Cornelia smirked and eagerly tightened her grip on the controls. "This is Cornelia li Britannia, Viceroy of Area 11, Chief General of Britannia's Armed Forces, and Second Princess of the Empire."

" **For the sake of preserving both of our forces, I ask that you stand down and leave the JLF intact.** " Zero wanted to laugh aloud. " _As though Cornelia would ever stand down to this challenge. She's too stubborn for that!_ "

"Is that a threat, Zero? Surely you realize that interfering with this operation would be reason enough for us to turn our sights on you!"

" **The Black Knights will accept these repercussions. However, I once again urge you to withdraw in peace. If you choose to attack the JLF, we have no choice but to respond in full force. Both your soldiers and the civilians whom are no doubt listening to this broadcast are at risk. Our forces have grown larger, dear Viceroy, and the very earth** **of Japan stands with us. Do you really value your own pride over the lives that are under your control?** "

"How _dare he_." Cornelia seethed inside her unit. "Guilford," she said through clenched teeth as she changed radio channels, "order the reinforcements to draw closer, and to watch our exterior. The Black Knights may attempt to coordinate with the JLF and breach our encirclement from outside."

" **Very well, Your Highness. What of Narita**?"

Exhaling through her nose, she debated and calculated. "We... evacuate the _Elevens_. Remove all potential for collateral from the city. I know that we already had an alert, but I'm elevating it to a viceregal order. Non-combatants' deaths will just be blamed on us at this point. _Zero_ will just make it our fault."

" **That will take around ten minutes if we rush, Your Highness. How do we proceed?** "

"We lost the advantage of surprise, so now we must treat this as a siege. Maintain the encirclement, secure the points of interest. We'll continue the advance after we tie up the loose ends."

" **Yes, Your Highness**."

The heat in the cockpit noticeably rose as the purple-haired princess fumed. " _This is ridiculous! How could they have anticipated this attack? What does he have planned? Who the hell does he think he is to deny his chance for peace?!_ "

Lelouch grinned behind his mask as he saw the halt in movement of the Britannian units below. " _Good, Cornelia. Now, I want you to lie in wait, trapped within your own speculations. I may have sacrificed the advantage of surprise, but you still don't know what I plan to do. How does it feel, Cornelia?_ " He could almost picture her anger. She could never keep her emotions from overtaking her when they were children. This form of revenge may be petty, but it was both effective _and_ amusing. " _How does it feel to be_ _ **helpless**_ _?"_

"General Katase, I know you heard my broadcast."

" **Zero, what is the meaning of this?!** "

"I saw Cornelia was going to make a move against the stronghold of the Japanese resistance, and I couldn't allow it to stand."

" **If you were so committed to our survival, then you would have notified us beforehand!** "

Lelouch lied with an unseen smile on his face. "I'm afraid that I had no choice, General. I suspected that they were monitoring radios in this system for a while now, and contacting you would have prompted a full attack before we were prepared."

" **And what's changed that is allowing you to contact us now?** "

"I've already revealed my presence and called for peace. I have no doubt that they're listening in as we speak, but I don't plan to deliberately leak plans to them."

" **Very well, then. What can I do for you, Zero?** "

"General Katase, I humbly request that you temporarily relinquish control of your forces."

" **...** " There were no words to capture the extent of the JLF commander's feelings on the suggestion.

"I am well aware of the audacity of my request, but it is a... favorable option nonetheless."

" **Tell me why.** " The general spoke with tight anger, yet it seemed that he was still open to reason. " **Tell me why I should entrust my men's lives with you. After the occurrence at Kagawachi, I'm... less than eager to grant favors to you.** "

"Simply put, General, I can't guarantee the safety of your soldiers if they aren't understanding of my plan."

Katase spluttered at his implication. " **Are you daring to threaten the JLF, Zero?! You have some nerve to make demands!** "

"General, I would tell you more, but that would be leaking too much information on open airwaves. Launch your ECM, and I shall contact you on a private channel."

A bearded tactical officer frowned as he adjusted the dials. "Our connection was lost, Princess Euphemia. It seems that Zero wasn't lying about their jammer."

Euphemia nodded, then turned to one of her military aides. "Can we continue the operation under these conditions?"

"Of course, Your Highness. It is a fairly common tactic to attempt to block communications, but we've developed countermeasures for such trivialities." He indicated a crew of technicians who were intently typing into their terminals. "The final call rests upon the Chief General, but she would directly notify us if we were to withdraw.

"Sub-Viceroy, the temporary network is online!" One of the communications officers bowed stiffly before retaking his seat.

The princess nodded in response, before asking the more pressing matter. "How is the second evacuation proceeding?"

"It's on schedule, Your Highness. There were a few Britannians and Elevens that refused to leave during the first order. In a few more minutes, we should have the green light to launch the operation."

"What about Zero? Has he been sighted yet?"

"Not yet, Your Highness. Our reserve forces have reported nothing, and the evacuation teams haven't spotted anything suspicious. It is entirely possible this was a bluff to buy the JLF time, but Princess Cornelia doesn't wish to be caught off guard."

Euphemia grimly stared at her sister's IFF signal on the digital map. "But then that conversation we heard...?"

"It could have been false, but it also also could have been truthful. It is best to factor in as many possibilities as necessary."

"Sub-Viceroy, we have clearance from the evac squads!"

Euphemia turned to her aide. "Major, please contact the Viceroy."

He saluted in response and launched the communications system. A series of numbers flew across the screen as the call was made.

" **Yes?** " Cornelia's frustrated visage appeared on the display.

Euphemia smiled as she spoke to her sister. "Viceroy, all the townspeople have been evacuated from the city. Zero contacted General Katase of the JLF and requested permission to take command, but the general seemed reluctant to join him."

" **Very well. We'll strike quickly, then. Thank you, Sub-Viceroy.** "

Lelouch chuckled silently as he watched the Britannian units eagerly rush towards the summit. " _Right into_ _ **my**_ _trap, Cornelia. You're in for quite the surprise... And you'll know that it's all your fault._ " He grinned maliciously as he watched two purple flares fly up from the enemy forces. Hundreds of these pawns and knights were falling right into his enormous gambit. " _All that's left is to get my own pieces into play_."

Cornelia frowned at the lack of opposition that they were facing as they scaled the mountain. " _Is this Zero's work?_ " She patched through to Darlton. "Do we have any enemy contact?"

"Nothing so far, Your Highness. We haven't engaged a single enemy yet."

Cornelia's frown deepened as she reported these findings back to the G-1. " _I anticipated that the JLF would choose to attack, not entrench themselves. Even though this is less dangerous for our troops, an extended siege isn't something I want to deal with._ "

"All preparations are complete! Black Knights, prepare to move out! Our mission is to launch a full attack on the Britannians for two reasons: we will help the JLF's escape," Lelouch's eyes narrowed, "and we will capture the Viceroy! The JLF will fully collaborate with us for this mission, and will serve as our supporting fire after the initial wave. Our offensive will be led by the Gurren Mark Two!"

Lelouch glanced down at the manual in his hands as he switched channels to connect with the Gurren. "Kallen, use Penetrating Electrode Number 2. Settle this with one blow."

Kallen responded with the expected data readings and reported the activation of the Gurren's chief weapon. Lelouch's eyes were alight with eagerness as the red knightmare's hand began to glow. Electricity danced wildly around the machine as it released a massive dosage of gamma radiation into the heat medium that carried the energy deep underground, into the water veins that crisscrossed below.

" _Did it... Not work?_ " Lelouch blinked as he tried to see if his plan was coming to fruition. If this didn't function, then there'd be some major problems.

Thankfully, the ground began to tremble with great force. As the underground water table began to violently expand from heat, the terrain above vibrated with terrifying power before the pressure completely shattered it. All the way down the mountainside, dirt and boulders were displaced as the mountain face began to crumble. The destabilized stone was unable to remain intact as the natural foundations at the base of the mountain collapsed, prompting a terrifying landslide that carried the wrath of a vengeful nation.

Countless Britannian knightmares were swept up and away by the flood of land. The sky was riddled with contrails from the dozens of ejected cockpits, while the ground was littered with scraps of metal.

The town of Narita wasn't spared from the sweeping landslide, either. Countless buildings and streets simply exploded from the raw power of rocks in motion. The last cars that were escaping the conflict barely cleared the city limits before the mountain fell upon their homes and businesses. The few unfortunate souls that remained perished quickly from massive blunt trauma and suffocation.

" **Zero! What the hell is this?! Was this your plan?!** "

"General Katase, the time to strike is now! This opening won't last long!"

The Black Knights headed straight towards a isolated KMF groups as the enemy tried to intercept their attack. The soldiers were dispatched with ease, largely thanks to Kallen's obvious ability in the Gurren. Along the still-intact side of the mountain, JLF forces emerged from previously-hidden tunnels, taking advantage of their enemy's disorientation to pick off confused knightmare squadrons.

In short, it was a slaughter.

* * *

Kyoshiro Todoh was a practical man known for his intelligence and tactical mindset, as well as his sharp attitude. Yet, for once in his life...

"Can you repeat that again, General?" Todoh struggled to keep his face from looking absolutely shocked. They had entered the battle from behind enemy lines, expecting to salvage the JLF, but it seemed that the Holy Swords...

"I said that we are currently collaborating with Zero, Todoh. He came to us with a deal we couldn't refuse. He brought us this landslide so that we could have an opportunity to strike back at Cornelia's forces."

"So why can't you send us reinforcements immediately?!"

"I must first clear this with Zero. He took temporary command over the JLF for the duration of this battle, so that we could minimize losses from his landslide. I'm trying to contact him now so that he will send forces to you."

... The Holy Swords were at the disposal of Zero.

A new communication alert popped up on his heads-up display. Todoh scowled as he accepted the private connection. "So it's you, Zero."

" **Indeed. It's a pleasure to finally meet the legendary Todoh Kyoshiro.** "

"I would like to have the same feelings to you, Zero. After all, you have achieved great things in a short window of time..." He paused as he traded a quick series of blows with the opposing knightmare. "However, I can't help but wonder what you have planned after taking charge of the JLF." He inhaled sharply and dodged away from a rather close lunge by the enemy.

" **I assure you that I have no intention to take control of your resistance group, Todoh. My only desire at this point is to capture Cornelia li Britannia, which is why I personally am coming with my core squadron to subdue her. I've also dispatched a large JLF team to assist you in holding of those reinforcements.** "

"It is appreciated. Just know that my own troops can only fight off these forces for so long. After that, you'll be on your own."

* * *

Cornelia stopped short as she saw the red, demonized knightmare that blocked her path.

"Well..."

A member of the Royal Family was expected to be a role model for every Britannian. From a very young age, every royal child was taught how to behave, from talking to drinking to playing darts. It was a common expectation that a prince or princess demonstrate perfect behavior in any situation. Even in the face of certain death, Cornelia should've been able to compose a well-articulated warcry, ballad, or punchline that could be printed in gold leafed books for centuries to come...

"Shit."

... She really didn't care about her years of etiquette lessons at this point.

* * *

" _Funny how these things pan out._ " Lelouch smirked victoriously as he watched Cornelia stand frozen before Kallen's knightmare. " _How far you have fallen, Dear Sister. I look forward to our reunion._ "

The two knightmares lunged into action, with the princess attempting to make a desperate escape in the matter of seconds. " _Nice try, Sister. I'm surprised that you could even get past Kallen, but your little evasion attempt stops_ now."

He fired over Cornelia's knightmare, letting her know that her escape route was cut off.

But of course, something had to screw it all up. And of course, it was that damnably inconvenient White Knight. For a while, it had seemed that the Black Knights could reasonably do battle with the Britannians, but now, they required backup.

" _How embarrassing_." Lelouch scoffed as he requested help from Katase, who thankfully obliged. At this point, the General could've downright refused his requests, but the thought of aiding in the capture of an imperial princess was very enticing to the old general.

"Oghi, aim for the purple knightmare's legs. We'll drag her cockpit out of this battle if we must!"

"Yes, Zero!"

" **Zero!** " Suddenly, the ground near the Viceroy was kicked up by a group of knightmares forming a protective circle around her.

Lelouch shook his head. It _couldn't_ be him... But that _tone_! That _arrogance_! That _contemptible_ _nationalism_!

" **I, Jeremiah Gottwald, challenge you a duel! I'll show you what happens to fools that dare challenge the unquestionable might of the Imperial Family!** "

* * *

Cornelia chuckled. Count on Gottwald to make an appearance when you least expected him. "Lord Gottwald, I order you to capture Zero! Leave the Lancelot and the Red Knightmare alone; they're occupying each other. All we need to do is get Zero, and this entire war is _finished!_ This could be the end of the Area Eleven resistance!"

She could hear the energy in Gottwald's voice as he responded. " **Yes, Your Highness!** "

* * *

"Retreat, Kallen! Retreat!" Even though she was going even against the White Knightmare, Zero simply couldn't risk having her captured. He was pushing his own knightmare as fast as it could go while occasionally firing behind himself aimlessly. His comrades were doing their best to block Gottwald's line of fire, while also evading any unnecessary hits.

" **Zero!** " Orange was closing in fast, and his voice was filled with absolute delight. " **This is the end for you! I will restore my honor!** " He cackled and fired a few shots near the legs of their knightmares.

Oghi tried to turn around and fire, but the rapidity of the situation only allowed for him to let loose a few bullets before being forced to eject. Jeremiah paid little attention to him.

"This is Zero, calling all Black Knight and JLF forces! I'm requesting immediate aid to the Gurren and myself! I repeat, Kallen and I are in check!" He swerved on occasion to avoid Jeremiah's aim. His legs had already been clipped a few times, but there was no major damage to the system. Jeremiah continued to gain on him.

" _What do I do?_ " Lelouch gritted his teeth as he shakily maneuvered the knightmare. It was only a matter of time before Gottwald caught up to him, and then he'd be helpless. Geass might not be enough to get him out. "Think, damn it!" He snarled, barely succeeding in leaping over a fallen tree. His ears were ringing and his head was starting to hurt. " _No, not this again!_ "

" **For Japan!** " A call echoed from the mountaintop. Ten knightmares slid down the slopes, firing upon Jeremiah.

* * *

The nobleman scoffed as he slid into cover. "How dare these impudent monkeys bother to challenge me! They can't hope to touch me!"

Jeremiah's knightmare leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the incoming fire. "You're lucky I'm out of ammo, you filthy primates!" As he landed, he produced a large baton and charged his enemies. As he grabbed the first burai, he bodily lifted the machine and used it to shield him from their comrade's fire. Then, he moved to the next enemy, quickly breaking the sensory array above the main body, forcing an ejection of the cockpit. Just as the machine was about to launch the pilot, Gottwald pushed the knightmare downwards, forcing the ejection to aim directly at another knightmare. The collision prompted a blinding blast, and the blanket of fire provided him with the cover he needed to approach the next enemy.

He continued to systematically demolish the opposing machines with ease, each one taking little more than a few seconds. Still, it felt like too long. " _I must capture Zero!_ " The last enemy was disarmed and beaten in three quick blows. Jeremiah allowed the pilot to eject as he snatched up their gun and resumed the chase. He had lost his reach on Zero, but a few well-placed shots could supplement his disadvantage.

Putting years of experience and skill to use required only a single deep breath before he lined up a shot with Zero's fleeing knightmare.

* * *

" _That was only a temporary measure. Those JLF troops were just some grunts, so they won't be that good at slowing him down._ " Zero felt the ringing in his head die down as he fled. " _Good. Now then, I just need to retake a command point so that we can safely recover Kallen._ "

The sounds of fighting from behind ceased. There was a moment of silence before another shot rang out across the quiet battlefield, and Zero was losing control of his knightmare.

" _Motor failure! Right now?!_ " The system diagnostics showed that the right leg of his knightmare was losing power and wouldn't be able to sustain a fast-paced roll. "Damn it!"

* * *

Gottwald was in pursuit once again. It wouldn't be long before he would be upon Zero. He fired at the slowing knightmare's legs, and they started to crumble. " _Hm. So it comes down to this._ " He brought his knightmare in front of the fallen terrorist, and opened a direct communication channel. "Surrender now, Zero! Your acts of terror are over! This is the end for you!"

The masked man laughed. " **Surrender... Why would I surrender?** " Zero was clearly trying to buy time, but Gottwald was getting impatient to restore himself.

"Zero, exit the vehicle now and lie in a subdued position on the ground! Do not attempt a rocket ejection!"

" **As if I would listen to you, Orange Boy!** "

"O-O-Ora-Orange!? What the hell does that even _mean?_! _You!_ " He reached a hand forward to wrench the cockpit out of the knightmare, but Zero had already ejected. " _Damn it!_ " He took aim at the shrinking pod, only to realize that he couldn't risk killing Zero. A simply death-by-combustion was too good for the terrorist. And what really pissed Jeremiah off was that Zero _knew_ how much he was worth.

He would hunt Zero down. He would throw that terrorist before the princess like the misbehaving bastard he was.

And it would be perfect.

* * *

Zero's fingers flew across the console as he attempted to hail allied forces, but there were none nearby.

" _At this rate...!_ " He was about to open up the cockpit and step out when he heard the rumble of an approaching knightmare. " _Damn! Is it Orange already? I need more time...!_ "

" **Zero! I'm going to grab you! Don't move!** "

"Kallen?" Zero was greeted with the sight of a crimson knightmare that was reaching for his machine.

" **Yeah, it's me! Thank goodness you're okay! I was worried that you were already caught!** "

"I'm glad to see that you're alright, Kallen. How did you manage to get away in order to find me?"

" **I was able to push the white knight over a cliff, and then Tamaki and a few others showed up and kept shooting the guy as he tried to climb up. After a while, the knightmare decided to go another way, when I heard your first distress call. Tamaki's unit was destroyed by it, but I think they all made it out okay.** "

"That's good." Zero calculated their options. "What's the status of the battle? How many were killed?"

" **I think... We're winning, Zero, but we can't get to the princess anymore. There's already been some fresh Britannians that are joining in. They've got way too many soldiers for us to fight. We lost a lot of Black Knights in the battle, too.** "

"Alright. Tell the Black Knights that we're retreating. We are not prepared to fight a war of attrition. Also, see who survived from the original team. I'm losing reserve power now, so I'll be in radio silence for some time."

" **Yes, Zero!** "

" **You there!** "

Kallen sped up her knightmare. She knew that voice, and it meant trouble. She couldn't risk a fight while Zero's life literally rested in her hand. " _Screw off, Britannian pig! I'm busy!_ "

" **Don't you dare try to evade me! You may have a good knightmare, but that will not be enough to overcome my skill!** "

"Leave me alone, you stupid ass!" Kallen shouted in her cockpit, trying to speed the Gurren up.

The sound of gunfire greeted her as she tried to press ahead. " _Shit!_ " Kallen weaved in and out as a few shots narrowly missed her. " _I can't let Zero get hurt!_ " She held her leader's cabin close to her body as she continued to evade gunfire.

Jeremiah was pushing his knightmare to the limit, but it was to no avail. The other knightmare was simply too fast! " _I can't let Zero get away! I must stop him at all costs!_ "

He would have to shoot to kill. No mercy.

The mere thought of Zero's death brought a satisfied smirk to Jeremiah's face.

" _To Your Majesty, Empress Marianne, and Your Highnesses, Lelouch and Nunnally, I ask for guidance. Bring me strength so that my blade may strike true. All Hail Britannia!_ "

The Gurren was a tough machine, but even it couldn't sustain several direct hits without consequences. Kallen let out an angry growl. She _hated_ being so helpless, but there was so little that she could do in her current position. She couldn't exactly drop her charge just to engage in combat. Even a skirmish could end up killing Zero, especially when he was the target. " _But doing nothing won't solve anything!_ "

" **Kallen, status. What's going on out there?** "

"It's the Purist Gottwald! He's hot on my tail, and I can't fight back!"

" **Can't you out speed him?** "

"I can, but I need to move around too much to avoid getting shot!" She swerved narrowly. "There's no cover where we are right now!"

" **What about combat?** "

"I can't possibly put you- ... I need your permission to quickly put you in a very dangerous situation!"

" **I trust you, Kallen. Take whatever action is necessary.** "

" _He trusts me._ " Kallen noted with some pride. She shook off the distracting thoughts. "Hold on to something!"

" **I am buckled in.** "

Needing no further hesitation, she tossed Zero's cockpit high into the air. Jeremiah's knightmare stopped and took aim, but that was far more than what Kallen needed. "Take _this_!" Kallen punched the opposing knightmare square in the chest, forcing it to lose its shot. As the knightmare rocketed backwards to continue taking aim, the Gurren darted forwards to take ahold of its arm. As Kallen began bombarding the machine with radiation, she was surprised to find that its arm was detached from its body. "Oh, nice try!"

* * *

Jeremiah gritted his teeth as he struggled to shoot at the slowly plummeting cockpit of Zero. This was it, his window of opportunity, but that _demon_ of a knightmare was too much! It seemed to fly past everything he had, and that hand had almost _melted_ him! He let another grunt as the red knightmare batted away his gun arm. "God Damn Eleven!" He tried to recover some sideways movement, but the overall structure of his knightmare was failing. There was little chance at him gaining any possibility to shoot Zero.

But he didn't need to shoot Zero now, did he?

* * *

Kallen continued to destroy the Purists' knightmare as the radiation surger cooled down from its last use. Even though Gottwald had far more years of experience and some natural talent, her innate skill and superior knightmare made the battle impossible to lose. He began focusing on fighting her instead of taking down Zero. His blows were well-placed and strong, but they were merely an annoyance to the Gurren. "Stop squirming!" She reached forwards and grasped the knightmare's main body, finally prepared to reuse her special weapon.

Oddly enough, he stopped squirming.

In fact, his knightmare grabbed on to her own and attempted to lock it in place with its remaining arm. " _What the hell?!... Oh no!_ "

Her few precious seconds of combat were over, and there was no time before Zero would be crashing into the ground. Microwaving Jeremiah now would only take a few seconds, but those were seconds she didn't have.

Instead, Kallen chose to use her free arm to bash the head of the knightmare. Then, she shattered its only arm by pulling her weaponized appendage free. As he reeled forwards, she darted away to gently catch Zero's airborne pod.

"Zero, are you alright?!" She waited, but there was no response. "Zero?!" Kallen was fearful of her leader's fate. " _I have to help him if he's hurt! He trusted me, and all I did was throw him into the sky!_ "

* * *

Jeremiah battled against his controls as he forced his knightmare to press on. All around his heated chamber, red lights flashed and alarms chirped. The strange knightmare had done a number on his system, and it wouldn't be long before the heavy damage would force a full failure. Already, his knightmare had attempted to launch him once, but he refused to give up so easily. Even though that red demon had dealt with him like a mere pest, he wasn't willing to lose. Not this time. A maniacal light was reflected from the red lights of the cockpit. "I will not be defeated so easily! I will not falter now!"

* * *

Kallen let out a yelp as a blunt force collided with her knightmare. She nearly dropped Zero's cockpit, but managed to keep ahold of it. Turning, she let out a growl. Why didn't this stupid Britannian just go away? His knightmare was practically destroyed, but it seemed that it was being held up by sheer willpower, and nothing else. He'd done enough to the Black Knights for the day, so why couldn't he just stop?

She swatted at Jeremiah's knightmare and fled the battlefield. The knight's howl echoed within his cockpit as the ejection system successfully triggered and launched him into the horizon.

"Damn." Zero had no idea what was going on around him. After he'd had his rather rough landing, the computers around him had started blinking out. Any attempt to communicate with Kallen had failed, and he was figuratively and literally left in the dark.

" _This battle... Did not go as planned._ " He may have been rather bold and heavy-handed, but that was part of the plan. In fact, it was essential that Cornelia move her reserve units into the danger zone. This battle would likely mark a historic defeat on her part.

But it was far from perfect. Even though he had swept aside Cornelia's pawns, more had taken their place. Even when he had placed her in checkmate, Cornelia ended up with an ample supply of knights to protect herself. She managed to simply produce pieces out of nowhere. And there was that one knight...

Zero leaned his head against his hand. " _The White Knightmare is becoming far greater of a problem than I imagined. Even though Kallen can fight it face on, the Gurren is our best knightmare. We only have it because those Kyoto fools were generous. Britannia on the other hand... They have limitless resources and far more pilots. Who knows what would happen if the Emperor decided that Area Eleven requires a Knight of Rounds?_ "

He shook his head. " _The game is getting too complicated. I only have a few pieces; Britannia outnumbers us a million to one, and that's only when looking at their knights. I can't battle them like this... Even with all of Japan on my side, I don't have enough resources. I can't keep on fighting these skirmishes, either. Even though I practically crippled the enemy, there's always more to fight_."

But what else was there? Zero was a symbol of justice. He was the incarnation of balance and equality. If he couldn't do it, then how would Nunnally's dream become reality? " _I have to fight a different kind of battle. If they outnumber me, I have to simply bypass their numerical advantage._ " How? Sneak attacks? " _Some objectives can't be secured so easily._ " Recruiting Britannians? " _There's some sympathy already, but not many would be willing to give up their comfy lives for combat. The rest are either uninformed, or simply don't care._ "

"Think, Lelouch! If you're so damn smart, then think of something!" He growled and shook his fists. "What can I do?" The Black Knights were dependent on him! The world was dependent on the Black Knights! How could he possibly manage to shoulder the responsibility of the whole world?

What was holding him back from victory?

" _We don't have an army._ " He realized. Even though Zero had convinced his troops that they were no longer a resistance group, he knew otherwise. " _We're simply better equipped than before. They may have experience and top-notch weaponry, but we still aren't a true power. Cornelia's men are experienced, disciplined_ _ **warriors**_ _. They are practically bred to battle. They respect command and are dedicated until their last breath._ " The thought emerged of himself leading an army of such caliber. The rivers would run red with the blood of his enemies. "Yes! If I could control a force like that, I'd be unstoppable! No general, no army, no _Emperor_ could stand in my way!" He chuckled. " _It will take time to expand our ranks, and even more time to train them. But eventually, I will impose my will upon them, and I'll have a true army._ "

* * *

 **Later That Evening**

As darkness gathered above, a group of battle-weary Elevens crowded around a red knightmare. They were a few miles away from where the battle had taken place, in a complex of abandoned industrial buildings. The Black Knights and the Japanese Liberation Front stood side by side as friends and comrades rushed to help the wounded.

"You're Ohgi Kaname, correct?"

Oghi started and turned around. He had been smiling about their victory and reflecting on the simple brilliance of Zero's attack. He was greeted with the sight of a very severe looking man outfitted in JLF uniform. Behind him, three men and one woman were standing with ramrod straight posture and their arms crossed behind their backs.

The vice-commander of the Black Knights stepped backwards in awe as he realized who had spoken to him. "Y-yeah, I am."

Todoh Kyoshiro's eyes looked straight into Ohgi's. "Do you trust him, Ohgi?"

His piercing gaze made the man nervous, but the sub-leader still responded. "I do. I believe that Zero can help us."

"Do you think that the Black Knights will be able to liberate Japan singlehandedly? After today's events, Zero will become the only hope for freedom."

Ohgi frowned; something was confusing him. "What do you mean, sir? Is there something wrong? After all, isn't the JLF...?" He trailed off, unsure how to continue. Fortunately, Todoh followed up.

"The Japanese Liberation Front is finished. Even though our command staff is mostly intact, we lost our stronghold. During the end of the battle, General Katase managed to evacuate the remaining men, along with our files. After that, he triggered the base's self-destruction."

Todoh looked around at the crowd, who waited with bated breath as the red knightmare attempted to open up Zero's cockpit. "The Black Knights are the natural successor of the JLF. It's obvious that Kyoto trusts you, since they gave you the Gurren Mark 2. But I still wonder what Zero's personal motives are. The JLF was originally composed of former soldiers who wanted to continue doing their duty. Some of the smaller groups in Japan fight for freedom, and others fight for revenge. But Zero seems to have a different agenda entirely..."

A hush fell over the crowd as the pod cracked open. As the last rays of sunlight fell upon the Land of the Rising Sun, Zero stood above the hundreds of gathered Elevens. "People of Japan, today was a day to be remembered!" His cloak billowed majestically as he spread his arms. The crowd cheered. "Today, we not only managed to stop a Britannian offensive, but we responded in full force! The Black Knights and JLF stood united against Cornelia's forces, and we emerged victorious! The princess's army is in ruins, and her pride has been beaten back!" As he shook one of his fists, the cries of joy rose in volume. "Though many men and women lost their lives in this battle, they died for a purpose! They died for the dream of a free Japan!" The cheers swelled. "Soon, we will grow more powerful than Britannia itself, and we will use _our_ strength to ensure that they never conquer these lands again!"

As the crowd roared its approval, the Gurren gently brought Zero to the ground, where he was quickly surrounded by his supporters. "Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"

Ohgi was shaken from his thoughts once more by Todoh. "He never refers to himself as Japanese." The soldier narrowed his eyes at the masked terrorist. "He avoids saying that he is Japanese." The Holy Swords started exchanging dark looks.

"Sir, are you saying that Zero's a-" Asahina shot a dark look at Ohgi as he lowered his voice. "-a _Britannian?_ "

"No. I will not make that judgement just yet..." Todoh stopped and squinted. Zero was approaching.

Oghi subconsciously straightened up as Zero approached. The masked man made a nod to him. "I suppose congratulations are in order, Oghi. I just heard a great deal of how you guided the troops in my stead."

"Oh? It was nothing, really."

"Nonsense, Ohgi. The fact that you took charge in my absence is very important. I'm glad that you are my second-in-command."

Zero then turned to face Kyoshiro. "It's a pleasure to _formally_ meet you, Todoh." He stuck a hand out from beneath his cloak. The JLF soldier gave a short pause before shaking the extended hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Zero. I appreciate your aid in the battle. The Black Knights saved the JLF from certain disaster." He retracted his hand. "What happened to the princess, though? As I remember, we were holding off your personal forces when you had surrounded the princess."

There was a slight shift in Zero's posture that made him seem ever so slightly agitated. "Ah yes... There is a knightmare who has been a consistent thorn in my side ever since Shinjuku. It seems like the Britannians got their hands on next-generation technology that is comparable to the Gurren. Not only does it seem to have shields to protect it from our weaponry, but it's just as strong and just as fast as our Gurren. Today, it appeared just in time to save the princess and engage with our ace before more Britannian reinforcements arrived."

Todoh nodded. "That reminds me of my next question, Zero. Who did you nominate to operate the Gurren? I was shocked that there was anyone in the Black Knights that could operate an experimental knightmare."

"Our resident ace is Kallen Kozuki. She's the sister of Naoto Kozuki, who led this group some time before I did, as I understand. Kallen has proven to be an exceptionally valuable soldier."

Todoh nodded and looked up at the Gurren. It truly was an intimidating machine.

"Well then, it was nice to meet you, Todoh of Miracles." Zero began walking back towards the Gurren. "I'm sure that we'll meet again sometime soon."

"Huh?! _The_ Todoh?" Tamaki stumbled up, a silly half-grin on his face and a bottle of beer in his hand. "Oi! Todoh! You're here to join the Black Knights, huh? That'd be really cool!"

Ohgi flushed in embarrassment. "Tamaki, don't be rude! Todoh is a comrade!" He grabbed Tamaki's arm. "And where on Earth did you even get alcohol? We were in a battle all day!"

The spiky-haired man shook off his friend's arm. "I goddit, I goddit! Geez, Ohgi! 's just a victory drink! You need to relax, y'know?" He chuckled and took another swig from his bottle. "I'm just wonderin' what the JLF's gonna do now that their base 's destroyed, right? 'd be a waste to just stop, y'know?"

Ohgi looked at Todoh. "I-I'm so sorry for his disrespectful behavior. Please excuse us."

* * *

Todoh stood still for some time, watching the crowds of rebels disperse and head home. He could hear the Holy Swords' apprehension, but he had other thoughts to attend to. What was their role in the world now that the JLF had fallen from grace? What was the path they were meant to walk?

"Todoh, surely you don't plan to join these hooligans?!" Chiba finally spoke up. "Those aren't real soldiers... They have no discipline, no real loyalty!"

Asahina chimed in. "It isn't the people I'm worried about; they all seem good. What really concerns me is Zero. He's just not... right. There's something in the way he walks and talks that makes me feel weary of him. I worry for Japan's future under his guidance."

Todoh turned to face the worried faces of his four soldiers. "What say you, Senba? Urabe?"

"It would be foolhardy to dismiss such an important person so quickly. While I do agree with Asahina, I think that we should carefully consider Zero's actions in the future before drawing any extreme conclusions."

Urabe spoke next. "I don't know what to think yet, but I'm willing to give Zero and the Black Knights a shot."

Chiba scoffed. "You would listen to that fool? Didn't you hear what Todoh said earlier? Zero could be a _Britannian_."

"Enough for now." Todoh brought a cell phone out of his pocket. "We have more immediate concerns. We must regroup as soon as possible and determine our next steps while the Britannians recover." As he dialed Katase's personal number, he reflected back on his meeting with Zero. " _That man was confident even in defeat, and I can't blame him. Even though he failed to capture the princess, this battle will still be considered his._ " His expression tightened. " _The question still remains: Who is Zero really fighting for? Is he here for Japan, or something else?_ "


	10. 10 - Beautiful Emperor

_Hi_.

10 - Beautiful Emperor

 _"I_ am _the State." -_ King Louis XIV

 _Ascension Throne Britannia (A.T.B.) 2010_

The world was deathly quiet.

Regardless of their race or creed, everyone seemed to be set on edge. Inside and outside of Britannia, people anxiously whispered and glanced about. Fear spread like fire. Whispers floated like tendrils of smoke. What? How? _Who_?

One day, Britannia had seemed fine. Though one could admit that there was some internal conflict, the empire was still perfectly sound. The next day, the Holy Britannian Empire imploded.

It was a common claim among nobility that their blood was a pure blue - that they were so superior to commoners that their ichor was a different color. Charles zi Britannia, however, found that theirs was indistinguishable from every other man's. Regardless of their pedigree, as they helplessly collapsed to the floor, red was the color that coated the lush carpets and lavish furniture. Without fail, Charles' sword was decorated with crimson, not royal blue.

" _Pretentious bastards_."

Of the twenty-five factions that had competed for the throne, only his survived. Thirty-one princes and princesses were slain, and over five hundred nobles had died with them. The Emblem of Blood was finally complete.

Around the Imperial Palace, tens of thousands of soldiers stood in wait. Nobody spoke. Nobody moved. They waited for their new emperor.

A single boot appeared at the shaded doorway. Trumpets sounded, heralding the march of the king. The sea of soldiers clicked their heels and brought their clenched fists across their hearts.

It had taken twenty years, and it had cost a fortune in blood. It had taken countless betrayals and twice as many murders. But finally... His time was at hand.

" **Truth and hope in our Fatherland,**

 **and death to every foe!**

 **Our soldiers shall not pause to rest,**

 **We vow our loyalty.** "

Each step was measured as Charles stepped into the eyes of the world. His pace matched the beat of the song, and his stride was calculated to a decimal. Everything would be _perfect_.

" _We've won._ _None can stop us now._ "

" **Old traditions they will abide,**

 **Arise, young heroes.**

 **Our past inspires noble deeds,**

 **All Hail Britannia!** "

It had been a difficult quest. It wasn't easy to kill off his family; to say that he had a _lot_ of relatives was an understatement. But through time, patience, and a fair share of blood, he finally reached the end game. He was no longer a mere piece to be moved across the board by someone's whims. He was the _king._

" **Immortal beacon shows the way,**

 **Step forth! Seek Glory!**

 **Hoist your swords high into the clouds,**

 **Hail Britannia!** "

There would be no more _mundane affairs_ to consume his time now. As soon as he had solidified his hold over the kingdom and successfully promoted the ideological shift he needed, Charles would install some poor fool to serve as Prime Minister and do all of the _chores_ for him. He would be able to join his brother in pursuing Ragnarök.

" **Our emperor stands astride this world,**

 **He'll vanquish every foe!**

 **His Truth and Justice shine so bright,**

 **All Hail His brilliant Light!** "

The Empire was now his to command. The legions of soldiers gathered within Pendragon were but a mere sliver of the power at his disposal. This bloodstained empire was equipped with everything necessary to _kill God._

" **Never will he be overthrown,**

 **Like mountains and sea!**

 **His bloodline immortal and pure,**

 **All Hail His Majesty!** "

His slow march was drawing to an end. As he passed his two kneeling knights, he could see the smile on both of their faces. Bismarck had a suppressed grin that only touched the edges of his lips, but Marianne's face was full of mirth that was barely hidden by her hair. They both shared the sweet taste of victory that they had fought so hard for. If he were any less masterful at feigning monotonous disdain, Charles doubted that he would be able to keep a straight face.

" **So let his wisdom guide our way,**

 **Go Forth! Seek Glory!**

 **Hoist your swords high into the clouds,**

 **Hail Britannia!** "

The silence that followed the end of the new anthem was deafening. Charles swore he heard crickets as he surveyed the vast crowds beneath him. Still, he took care to allow the heavy pause to add to the anticipation for his speech. He was in no rush, and every additional second of waiting made people more hungry to hear words.

"Death is certain." Charles' voice echoed across the world. People sat on the edges of their seats and reflected on this statement. Already, politicians and journalists from the E.U. and the C.F. began scrambling to understand what he was saying.

"Life is cruel." His words cut the air like cold steel. There was no hint of warmth or empathy - only bitter truth.

"Every day, Man struggles. He toils under the oppressive sun and the distant stars and He wishes for better. It is this desire -this _need_ \- that allows Man to press onward; it is the instinct that fuels Him through the crushing dark and blinding light."

His deep, powerful exclamation began to swell. "It is a fundamental _law_ that Man struggles for dominance of His condition. It is not Good nor Evil, but _Truth_! It is a process of nature; all must accept this reality... or be consumed!"

"For every person who fails, another succeeds! With every victory, there's another loss! In the struggle of life, there is only room for the _best_!"

"People have argued that everyone is innately equal. They pretend that everyone deserves the same liberties and privileges. These statements could not be more false! If we are all equal, then why are some men stronger or fairer than others? Why are some women braver or smarter than others? Why do people have different salaries and titles? It is because they are different! From the moment of their birth, blood and status grant the powerful the right to conquer! Meanwhile, the conditions of the less favorable offer potential to push beyond their predecessors!

There was a strange light in his eyes as he pointed his hand into the distant horizon. "Inability constantly burdens society, and laziness and cowardice consistently limit human evolution! The weak leech off of humanity like a parasite! For too long, these tumors have delayed the eternal stride of our race! He who does not seize what he can does not deserve to possess the necessities of life! Therefore, it is the duty of the strong to consume all who would slow the march of time! This is the divine mission of Britannia!"

Charles' eyes flared with flames of passion. "Ever since its creation, Britannia has grown stronger through trial by fire. Our nation was forged from war, and conquest is what has kept it alive. With each generation since our founding, Britannians have fought for the purpose of progress. And with every conflict, Britannia burns brighter than ever!"

"When the European Union tried to invade _our_ lands, we destroyed their advance! When the Middle East Federation tried to halt _our_ economy, we harvested the power of the sun! When the Chinese Federation tried to meddle with _our_ borders, we crippled their navy! Whenever any foreign power dares to attack our nation or our values, we strike back with unrelenting strength! Britannia will overcome any threat! Britannia will overcome any opposition!"

"It is because of our drive to control the future that we succeed! It is because of our ability to do what we must that we can! It is because of our understanding of power that we continue to progress! In this reality of strife, Britannia will not only endure; Britannia will conquer! Weakness is a disease, and _we_ are the _cure_!"

Charles brought his fist up above his head. The world trembled before his might; all of humanity was filled with awe of his declaration.

" _ **ALL**_ "

This would forever be known as the end of worldwide peace.

" _ **HAIL**_ "

This was the birth of a new era.

" _ **BRITANNIA**_!"

So declared Charles zi Britannia.


End file.
